International Bridges to Justice
Description
International Bridges to Justice carries out its initiative through four main implementation methodologies: (1) Defender Capacity Building in which IBJ builds the key skills required for criminal defenders to perform their jobs professionally, safely, and with the greatest effect on the justice system (2) Defender Resource Centers, offices through which IBJ-trained lawyers provide legal defense services at the earliest possible stage of a criminal proceeding (3) Criminal Justice Reform, including roundtables to bring together all justice sector stakeholders to develop practical solutions to access to justice issues, while also breaking down barriers, building respect and promoting collegial relationships (4) Rights Awareness Campaigns, using posters, brochures, community education events, radio call-in shows and public service announcements to help individuals understand and gain access to their legal rights.IBJ also uses various on-line resources to aid with implementation including eLearning modules, IBJ’s Defense Wiki, and Lawyer 2 Lawyer. eLearning modules are worldwide, on-demand web-based eLearning courses which build key skills required for criminal defenders to perform their jobs effectively and uphold the rights of the accused. IBJ’s Criminal Defense Wiki brings codes, treaties, case law and other resources to lawyers throughout the world. The website is based on the same software as Wikipedia, and joins criminal defense practitioners, other lawyers and legal professionals, law students, and professors together from around the world to conduct research and develop cases with the most up to date resource materials possible. Finally, through Lawyer2Lawyer, IBJ cooperates with law firms, public defender’s offices, bar associations, law schools, and individual lawyers bringing resources to bear in countries where we work, helping local lawyer with training, mentorship and support. Lawyers in developed countries have resources that can have an immense impact when deployed where they are needed most.
IBJ has established a number of different methods to create its capacity building approach. First, IBJ’s “soft-governance” approach is unique in that it collaborates with governments instead of using more traditional, confrontational methods. In each of its programs, IBJ partners with various stakeholders and emphasizes capacity building. This empowers developing legal systems to implement their own reforms rather than relying on a permanent outsider presence. This strategy is so successful at creating sustainable change that the governments of more than twenty countries have actively solicited IBJ to launch programs to guide their judicial reform. Second, IBJ developed a Justice Hub, using technology to enhance its capacity building efforts. IBJ’s Justice Hub uses technology to combine each of IBJ’s programs together including its country programs, Government Hub, Youth Hub, Lawyer Hub, and many others. While IBJ has trained over 20,000 lawyers at live, in-person events, IBJ’s eLearning platform has reached over two million people. This technological edge, backed by a capacity building approach, is IBJ’s pivotal advantage in the fight against humanitarian abuse. IBJ has integrated sustainability and long-term capacity building into all of its programs. IBJ’s ultimate goal, through its capacity building process, is to develop sustainability in all of its programs. By training lawyers on legal and advocacy skills, community building, and the value of defense work, IBJ ensures that, when it leaves a country, a commitment to protecting the poor and vulnerable will remain. Secondly, by training future trainers with easy to replicate lessons, IBJ’s lawyers will be able to educate the next generation of lawyers. This practice creates a local community of lawyers that work together to increase pro bono work and act as a vocal advocate for human rights. Ultimately, IBJ’s capacity building plan is to build up a program, operate that program while the foundations are being solidified, and then transfer the program to the government of the area. Moving towards government ownership creates the sustainability that IBJ strives to accomplish and allows the programs to be shaped around the needs of each country moving towards the foreseeable future.
IBJ’s country programs operate in six different countries including Burundi, Cambodia, China, India, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. Each program maintains a team on the ground consisting of country managers, various officers, and lawyers that work together to coordinate their activities. IBJ’s headquarters in Geneva coordinates with each of these programs to provide funding opportunities and access to other legal resources. On top of internal coordination, IBJ also works with governments, security forces, and other organizations on the ground. In addition to the country programs, IBJ’s global movement connects individuals within various communities to generate the resources necessary to move toward Access to Justice for all. For this process, IBJ collaborates with lawyers, youth, faiths, and governments through various technological platforms.
SDGS & Targets
Goal 16
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
16.1
Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
16.1.1
16.1.2
16.1.3
Proportion of population subjected to (a) physical violence, (b) psychological violence and/or (c) sexual violence in the previous 12 months
16.1.4
Proportion of population that feel safe walking alone around the area they live after dark
16.2
End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children
16.2.1
Proportion of children aged 1–17 years who experienced any physical punishment and/or psychological aggression by caregivers in the past month
16.2.2
16.2.3
Proportion of young women and men aged 18–29 years who experienced sexual violence by age 18
16.3
Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all
16.3.1
Proportion of victims of (a) physical, (b) psychological and/or (c) sexual violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized conflict resolution mechanisms
16.3.2
16.3.3
Proportion of the population who have experienced a dispute in the past two years and who accessed a formal or informal dispute resolution mechanism, by type of mechanism
16.4
By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime
16.4.1
16.4.2
16.5
Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms
16.5.1
16.5.2
16.6
Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels
16.6.1
16.6.2
Proportion of population satisfied with their last experience of public services
16.7
Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels
16.7.1
Proportions of positions in national and local institutions, including (a) the legislatures; (b) the public service; and (c) the judiciary, compared to national distributions, by sex, age, persons with disabilities and population groups
16.7.2
16.8
Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance
16.8.1
Proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in international organizations
16.9
By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration
16.9.1
16.10
Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements
16.10.1
16.10.2
16.a
Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime
16.a.1
16.b
Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development
16.b.1
SDG 14 targets covered
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Contact Information
Sanjeewa Liyanage, International Program Director