Karen I. Tse
Encyclopedia
Karen I. Tse is a human rights
defender and social entrepreneur.
An international human rights
attorney and ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, Reverend Karen I. Tse works with Rule of Law initiatives across the globe. Tse received her Master's degree from Harvard University
School of Divinity, and received her J.D. degree from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law. She obtained her Bachelor's degree from Scripps College
.
Karen first developed her interest in the cross section of criminal law
and human rights
as a Thomas J. Watson
fellow in 1986 after observing Southeast Asian refugees detained in local prison without trial. After graduating from law school, Tse worked as a San Francisco public defender
. Later on in 1994, Tse continued her passion for criminal justice and moved to Cambodia
to train the country's first cadre of public defenders. There, she served as a United Nations
Judicial Mentor. Under the Auspices of the United Nations Center for Human Rights in Cambodia and the Cambodia Defenders Project, she trained judge
s and prosecutor
s and established the first arraignment
court in Cambodia.
In 2000, Tse founded International Bridges to Justice
, a non-profit organization which aims to eradicate torture in the 21st century and protect due process
rights for accused people throughout the world. IBJ is dedicated to protecting the legal rights of everyday citizens in developing countries, and has a special focus on the indigent accused. The organization focuses on institutionalizing defender practices by training public defender
s, or legal aid lawyers, in countries where their help is needed. IBJ has expanded to countries throughout Africa
and Asia
, including Rwanda, Burundi, China, Cambodia, India, and Zimbabwe.
As a social entrepreneur, Tse is supported by the Skoll, Echoing Green
and Ashoka
foundations. Tse has negotiated and implemented measures in judicial reform with the Chinese
, Vietnamese
and Cambodian
governments.
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
defender and social entrepreneur.
An international human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
attorney and ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, Reverend Karen I. Tse works with Rule of Law initiatives across the globe. Tse received her Master's degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
School of Divinity, and received her J.D. degree from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law. She obtained her Bachelor's degree from Scripps College
Scripps College
Scripps College is a progressive liberal arts women's college in Claremont, California, United States. It is a member of the Claremont Colleges. Scripps ranks 3rd for the nation's best women's college, ahead of Barnard College, Mount Holyoke College, and Bryn Mawr College at 23rd on the list for...
.
Karen first developed her interest in the cross section of criminal law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
as a Thomas J. Watson
Thomas J. Watson
Thomas John Watson, Sr. was president of International Business Machines , who oversaw that company's growth into an international force from 1914 to 1956...
fellow in 1986 after observing Southeast Asian refugees detained in local prison without trial. After graduating from law school, Tse worked as a San Francisco public defender
Public defender
The term public defender is primarily used to refer to a criminal defense lawyer appointed to represent people charged with a crime but who cannot afford to hire an attorney in the United States and Brazil. The term is also applied to some ombudsman offices, for example in Jamaica, and is one way...
. Later on in 1994, Tse continued her passion for criminal justice and moved to Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
to train the country's first cadre of public defenders. There, she served as a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Judicial Mentor. Under the Auspices of the United Nations Center for Human Rights in Cambodia and the Cambodia Defenders Project, she trained judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s and prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
s and established the first arraignment
Arraignment
Arraignment is a formal reading of a criminal complaint in the presence of the defendant to inform the defendant of the charges against him or her. In response to arraignment, the accused is expected to enter a plea...
court in Cambodia.
In 2000, Tse founded International Bridges to Justice
International Bridges to Justice
International Bridges to Justice is a non-governmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization's stated mission is "to protect the basic legal rights of ordinary citizens in developing countries by guaranteeing all citizens the right to competent legal representation, the right...
, a non-profit organization which aims to eradicate torture in the 21st century and protect due process
Due process
Due process is the legal code that the state must venerate all of the legal rights that are owed to a person under the principle. Due process balances the power of the state law of the land and thus protects individual persons from it...
rights for accused people throughout the world. IBJ is dedicated to protecting the legal rights of everyday citizens in developing countries, and has a special focus on the indigent accused. The organization focuses on institutionalizing defender practices by training public defender
Public defender
The term public defender is primarily used to refer to a criminal defense lawyer appointed to represent people charged with a crime but who cannot afford to hire an attorney in the United States and Brazil. The term is also applied to some ombudsman offices, for example in Jamaica, and is one way...
s, or legal aid lawyers, in countries where their help is needed. IBJ has expanded to countries throughout Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, including Rwanda, Burundi, China, Cambodia, India, and Zimbabwe.
As a social entrepreneur, Tse is supported by the Skoll, Echoing Green
Echoing green
For the electronic band, see The Echoing Green , for the poem see The Echoing GreenEchoing Green is a twenty year-old global non-profit organization operating in the area of early-stage social sector investing...
and Ashoka
Ashoka
Ashok Maurya or Ashoka , popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from ca. 269 BC to 232 BC. One of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over most of present-day India after a number of military conquests...
foundations. Tse has negotiated and implemented measures in judicial reform with the Chinese
Government of the People's Republic of China
All power within the government of the People's Republic of China is divided among three bodies: the People's Republic of China, State Council, and the People's Liberation Army . This article is concerned with the formal structure of the state, its departments and their responsibilities...
, Vietnamese
Vietnamese Council of Ministers
The Vietnamese Council of Ministers is entrusted by the 1980 Constitution with managing and implementing the governmental activities of the state...
and Cambodian
Politics of Cambodia
The Politics of Cambodia takes place in a framework of a constitutional monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government and a Monarch is head of state. The kingdom formally takes place according to the nation's constitution in a framework of a parliamentary, representative...
governments.
External links
- International Bridges to Justice
- Profile at Ashoka.org
- Profile on USNews
- Profile in the book, "Be Bold"
- Karen Tse Wins Gleitsman Award
- Profile at EchoingGreen.org
- Karen Tse Receives 2008 ABA International Human Rights Award
- Karen Tse Profiled in Forbes: "The Dreamer"
- CNN Video: Philanthropy and the Economy