Justice Makers Competition 2010

In support of efforts to curb legal abuse across Asia, International Bridges to Justice (IBJ) this week launches its second JusticeMakers Fellowship Competition.

The Competition is open to applicants who have concrete, achievable ideas to promote and foster criminal justice and rule of law initiatives.  Each winning Fellow will receive USD 5,000 to implement his or her project.  The winners will also participate in a week-long intensive training course in Singapore. The 2008 IBJ JusticeMakers Fellows started a paralegal training program for Filipino prisoners and a juvenile justice program in Pakistan, among other projects.  IBJ CEO and founder Karen Tse sees IBJ JusticeMakers Fellows as critical to protecting the basic legal rights of ordinary citizens.  “We are getting people around the globe working to end torture and ensure legal rights.”

A panel of judges from various parts of the world will choose seven Fellows from among the applicants.  An eighth Fellow will be chosen by a public rating process that allows people registered on www.justicemakers.net to evaluate each proposal.  IBJ will fund the 2010 Asia JusticeMakers Fellowship Competition through an i3 Challenge grant from the Lien Centre for Social Innovation at Singapore Management University.

IBJ has partnered with Be in Vision Pakistan, a network of organizations uniting humanitarian and social workers throughout the world, to facilitate the competition in the Karachi. Be in Vision Pakistan is a primary vehicle for promoting the competition, enabling participation, and providing applicant support in Pakistan.