AGHS Legal Aid Cell is a human rights and legal aid organization operating in Pakistan since 1980. It was the first legal aid organization established in the country. The major focus of the organization has been the rights of women, children and minorities in Pakistan.

AGHS is also an important partner in several human rights and NGO networks at the national, regional and international levels. The experience that the organization has gained, especially in the area of women’s and children’s rights, has enabled it to influence public opinion, policy initiatives, law making and standard setting not only nationally, but also through the regional and international forums.

AGHS has been engaged in the promotion and protection of the rights of the child and actively campaigned for Pakistan’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In order to give a central focus to the rights of the child, AGHS established the Child Rights Unit in 1994.

Objectives and Policy:

The overall objective of the organization is to strengthen respect for human rights through peaceful means, activities and strategies that contribute to the exposure and removal of violence; legal, social and economic discrimination, inequality, injustice and dis-empowerment; and the creation and reinforcement of institutions and mechanisms for the protection, promotion and implementation of human rights.

AGHS subscribes to the international standards of human rights recognized in all instruments in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms adopted by the United Nations.

AGHS considers the civil society as a critical element in the progress and strengthening of human rights, and integral to all notions of an international community. It, therefore, believes in involving and addressing the civil society as much as the state in all aspects of its works.

The Child Rights Unit is a project of AGHS. The objectives of the Unit are:

To conduct training in order to improve practices and enhance capacity of state institutions, judiciary and non-government organizations for the protection of children’s rights.

To undertake initiatives for the adoption of laws and policies and for the creation of mechanisms for the implementation of the Convention at the national level.

To monitor the performance of state agencies and institutions and identify good practices as well as those which undermine the rights of children.

To create awareness on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

To promote the rights recognized in the CRC.