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JusticeMakers Competition

Through the JusticeMakers program, we connect the best criminal justice defenders around the world to share intellectual capital and best practices. We award projects developed by innovative lawyers and legal defenders to improve local criminal justice systems and empower them to join our community of defenders and grow their initiatives in order to promote innovative solutions to access to justice around the world.

JusticeMakers Online

JusticeMakers is a community which was created in 2008, that connects passionate members of the criminal defense community, facilitates discussions, and hosts competitions to fund innovative proposals that seek to curb torture and legal abuse. As a project of International Bridges to Justice, JusticeMakers seeks to unleash the collective energies of criminal defenders from around the world and realize the vast potential of international human rights legislation.  The online effort is supported by a partnership structure that brings the website’s tools and wealth of knowledge to those living beyond the digital divide.

If you have any further questions, please email justicemakers@ibj.org. 

Our Model

IBJ is ideally positioned to run a program like JusticeMakers because of the way the online community complements IBJ’s existing portfolio of criminal defense initiatives. Through the online community, discussions about criminal justice, JusticeMakers competitions, and online eLearning training curricula, JusticeMakers allows IBJ to reach more people with its message and programming.

  • JusticeMakers enables the cross-fertilization of participants’ ideas with those of IBJ’s program staff.
  • It provides a testing ground for criminal defense initiatives before they are brought to scale through IBJ’s in-country programming.
  • JusticeMakers serves to map initiatives within the criminal defense sector, pinpointing those areas where IBJ could be adding value.
  • Finally, JusticeMakers helps source potential recruits for future country programs as IBJ takes its model to scale.

Impact in Numbers

  • 100+ individuals provided legal representation
  • 2,500 lawyers connected in the online community
  • 99 JusticeMakers Fellows elected
  • 52 countries

Meet the JusticeMakers Fellows

International Bridges to Justice is delighted to present all of its prestigious JusticeMakers Fellows that are the result of our seven global and regional contests. Read how past JusticeMakers winners have made a difference with the most vulnerable in their communities. In addition, read their own stories of inspiration to learn what motivates them to do their courageous work everyday under some of the most difficult circumstances.