International Justice Mission (IJM) is a human rights organization based in Washington, D.C. It has 14 field offices located in 12 contries throughout Latin America, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa. IJM has been located in the Philippines since 2001.

IJM investigators, lawyers and social workers intervene in individual cases of abuse in partnership with state and local authorities. By pushing individual cases of abuse through the justice system from the investigative stage to the prosecutorial stage, IJM determines the specific source of corruption, lack of resources, or lack of good will in the system denying victims the protection of their legal systems. In collaboration with local authorities, IJM addresses these specific points of brokenness to meet the urgent needs of victims of injustice.

My name is Abby Kirkbride. I am from the United States and have a background in print journalism and government communications.  I will be working with IJM through August 2009 to help develop its media and public relations strategy, and connect with other anti-human trafficking organizations in the Philippines.

I am really excited to be at this training!