These centers are specialized units for providing primary legal aid to categories that have insufficient income or that belong to a specific category in need.

In partnership with the Ministry of Justice, civil society organizations and through funding from the Austrian Development Cooperation, UNDP has supported the extension of this service to areas where free legal aid was lacking and there is a growing need of citizens for free legal aid.

From December 2018 until today, UNDP has supported the opening and uninterrupted operation of 8 centers, which as of December 2020 are administered by the Directorate of Free Legal Aid at the Ministry of Justice.

Free legal aid for citizens is a direct output of Justice Reform.

Albanian citizens already access free legal aid services in cities such as Shkodra, Peshkopi, Lezha, Durres, Vlora, Fier, Pogradec and Gjirokastra.

During the period January – May 2021, a total of 731 people in need have received free legal services in these 8 centers, of whom 382 are women and 349 men.

The main categories that have benefited Free Legal Aid Service are persons with insufficient or no sources of income with 367 recipients, followed by the elderly / retirees with 155 recipients, persons with disabilities with 84 recipients, members of the Roma and Egyptian community with 69 and victims of domestic violence and gender-based violence with 42 recipients.
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