IBJ’s Annual Report 2008

“It gives me great pleasure to introduce you to IBJ’s 2008 Annual Report. The past year saw many challenges but also progress in creating ripples to ensure that torture must end and that criminal justice must be fair, effective, and balanced. Our in-depth country programs continue to increase their impact out of all proportion to their size. New initiatives were started to support on the ground criminal defenders. Many of these are funded not only by foundations but by individuals who believe strongly enough in our vision to finance efforts directly.

One high point for the year was the launch of JusticeMakers. Conceived as a way to respond to the flood of global requests for IBJ support, JusticeMakers represents a new channel though which IBJ is sparking local, community-empowered criminal justice reform.

IBJ is providing support for grassroots agents of change selected by international competition to implement innovative pilot projects. The number and quality of applicants in our inaugural competition was overwhelming. Following a very difficult selection process, eight outstanding individuals from Brazil, the Philippines, Nepal, Swaziland, Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya and the DRC were named IBJ’s first JusticeMakers Fellows. In 2009 three additional JusticeMakers from India, Malawi and Kenya were funded.

Our programs offer opportunities for both horizontal and vertical cross-innovation. JusticeMakers learn from and provide instruction to IBJ’s in-depth, national program efforts. Another key benefit has been the exchange of best practices between JusticeMakers and Country Fellows – whether by comparing post-conflict judicial solutions in Rwanda and Cambodia or providing methods of legal education to prisoners in the Philippines and Kenya. All of our programs benefit from this synergy.

Country programs are also cross-innovating by using IBJ’s Online Training platform. In 2009, we are beginning to advocate for an IBJ Public Defender Accreditation program. The goal is to institutionalize Public Defender standards worldwide.

2008 also saw the power of our country programs, notably the opening of new Defender Resource Centers in Xi’an, China and Takeo, Cambodia. Preparations continued throughout 2008 and into 2009 for the opening of further Defender Resource Centers in India, Burundi, and Zimbabwe.

Every day, as I see the impact of the work of courageous criminal defenders, I am more and more convinced that Justice is within our reach. One day we will reach that place where the letter of the law is not merely a piece of paper, but embodied in the protection of the lives of every citizen throughout the world. I believe that we can get there. I believe that with every legal case and with every legal training seminar we are making a critical difference. But this will not happen without the wholehearted commitment of citizens throughout this world.

Today I ask for your commitment to help in whatever way you can. We need help with every aspect of our programs. Financial support, knowledge, advice, assistance, connections, and referrals are invaluable. Without the unpaid help of dozens of dedicated interns and volunteers we would not be where we are today. We deeply appreciate any form of assistance and will multiply the benefit many times over.

I know that individually, from every corner of the world, we are creating those ripples of hope, and that one day soon, as we work together, Justice will be ours. Your participation today starts another ripple of hope. Thank you for your invaluable support.”

Karen I. Tse 
CEO and Founder