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Enhanced Quality Legal Aid Services (EQUALS): Advancing Access to Justice in Albania and North Macedonia
Summary
The Enhanced Quality Legal Aid Services (EQUALS) project supports Albania and North Macedonia in strengthening access to justice as part of their EU integration paths. Access to justice, central to UNDP’s mandate and the 2030 Agenda, ensures that all people, especially those from disadvantaged groups and women, can seek and obtain remedies through fair, effective, and rights-based justice systems.
Anchored in SDGs 16, 10 and 5, the project promotes inclusive institutions, reduced inequalities, and gender equality. It is fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2022–2026) and the UNDP Country Programme Document (2022-2026).
Funded by International Partnerships Austria (November 2025 – October 2028) with a budget of EUR 2.5 million, EQUALS is implemented in close partnership with the Ministry of Justice, its Free Legal Aid Directorate, alongside national human rights institutions, the School of Advocates, the School of Magistrates, and civil society organizations.
EQUALS builds on the achievements and lessons of the previous EFLAS project in Albania (2019-2025), which strengthened the Free Legal Aid Directorate, expanded services across 12 regions, improved training for legal aid providers, and fostered partnerships to enhance human rights protection and accountability for vulnerable groups.
The EQUALS project responds directly to EFLAS final evaluation findings, and UNDP 2024 Access to Justice study recommendations prioritizing stronger institutional capacities, improved secondary legal aid, targeted outreach to underserved communities, and more effective public awareness.
Through targeted training, mobile legal aid outreach, improved referral pathways, and strategic cooperation with civil society and public service providers at the local level, the project aims to improve the quality and effectiveness of free legal aid systems in both countries. Expanding the model to North Macedonia promotes mutual learning and regional cooperation, adapting Albania’s successful approaches to address national gaps, including limited public awareness, fragmented institutional structures, and barriers to accessing services.
By fostering stronger justice institutions and more accessible free legal aid, EQUALS contributes to building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies where everyone can equally enjoy their rights and access remedies without discrimination.
Background
Albania and North Macedonia are advancing steadily on their EU integration paths, with justice reform and strengthened rule of law at the core of accession requirements. Albania received a positive recommendation to open accession negotiations in 2018, followed by continued commitments to judicial reform, anti-corruption efforts, and alignment with EU standards. These priorities are closely linked with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which Albania has integrated into its National Strategy for Development and Integration (2022–2030). In the 2024 Sustainable Development Report, Albania ranked 42nd out of 167 countries, signalling solid progress.
To meet EU benchmarks and ensure a sustainable justice sector, Albania has adopted the Inter-Sectoral Justice Strategies SND II (2021–2025) and SND III (2024–2030), focusing on consolidating reforms and strengthening institutions in line with European standards. Complementary national policies—such as the Strategy for Gender Equality, and Action Plans on Disability Rights, Roma and Egyptian inclusion, and LGBTIQ+ protection—further underscore the government’s commitment to equality and non-discrimination, including equal access to justice.
A key milestone in Albania’s justice reform was the adoption of the Law on State Guaranteed Legal Aid in 2017, developed with UNDP and EURALIUS support. The Ministry of Justice oversees legal aid delivery, while the Free Legal Aid Directorate (FLAD) administers primary and secondary legal aid, ensures service quality, and manages payments to contracted lawyers. Albania applies a mixed model for primary legal aid, enabling state legal aid centres, NGOs, and university law clinics to provide services. Currently, 20 legal aid centres, 14 NGOs, and 13 law clinics are authorized nationwide.
In North Macedonia, EU accession negotiations were opened in 2020, catalyzing reforms in justice and human rights. The 2019 Law on Free Legal Aid expanded access to justice, although eligibility restrictions, limited state-funded services, and the absence of a unified legal aid institution continue to constrain the system. These challenges disproportionately affect vulnerable communities and hinder nationwide awareness efforts.
Both Albania and North Macedonia formally opened accession negotiations in July 2022, followed by a smooth screening process. In 2023, the European Commission issued screening reports for Cluster 1 – Fundamentals, defining benchmarks for the next stages of accession.
The project aligns closely with North Macedonia’s national reform agenda, including the draft Inter-Sectoral Justice Strategy 2024–2030, the National Development Strategy 2024–2044, and the Strategy for Development and European Integration (2022–2030). These frameworks prioritise alignment with EU acquis, increased accountability and transparency, strengthened judicial professionalism, enhanced public legal education, and improved justice services for all citizens.
Project Outcome
To contribute to the achievement of the overall goal, the project will focus on achieving the following outcomes:
Outcome 1: Accessibility, quality, and sustainability of free legal aid in Albania and North Macedonia are enhanced by strengthening capacities of legal aid management institutions and service providers to address the legal needs of disadvantaged communities and women and strengthening dialog and the network among legal aid providers, mediation, CSOs, and NHRIs.
Outcome 2: Disadvantaged communities and women are empowered to seek and obtain justice, including for gender-based discrimination through strengthened partnerships with legal aid providers, CSOs and local government.Support FLA management institutions and service providers to respond to gender-based discrimination and the needs of the clients in alignment with the international standards.
Expected Results 2025-2028
- Legal Aid policy and legislation in Albania and North Macedonia enhanced and aligned with EU recommendations and standards.
- Free legal aid services meet quality standards and requirements based on a human rights-based approach.
- Free legal aid services for vulnerable individuals and women consolidated in Albania through support to the Free Legal Aid Directorate.
- Free legal aid providers have adequate capacities and relevant knowledge to provide tailored legal aid services addressing the specific needs of vulnerable individuals and women, in line with international and national standards in Albania and North Macedonia.
- A legal aid network established between service providers in Albania and North Macedonia, promoting cooperation through Communities of Practice to exchange experiences, best practices, and innovative solutions to address emerging legal challenges and improve service delivery.
- Capacity of CSOs and local institutions to provide specialised services tailored to the needs of vulnerable individuals and women in accessing justice, including in addressing gender-based discrimination, is strengthened.
- Women and girls facing vulnerable situations empowered through unhindered and accessible free legal aid services in Albania and North Macedonia.
- Integrated approaches adopted by NHRIs, free legal aid providers, and civil society in Albania and North Macedonia for monitoring and advocacy in human rights protection and rule of law enforcement.
- Level of legal education and awareness raised and a culture of justice for all developed.
