In addition to its technical assistance work with foreign governments, the ILF provides direct legal aid services through its multiple in-country offices.
While serving as an observer to the Rwandan genocide trials, attorney Natalie Rea noticed there were "a handful" defense lawyers available[1] to represent the over 70,000 incarcerated at Kigali Central Prison.
Rea created the ILF to address legal aid crises in foreign countries, and expand criminal defense services for the indigent.
The ILF has six primary areas of focus: legal aid access; pretrial justice reform; gender equality; racial, ethnic and religious minorities; children and youth; and the UN SDG16+ framework.
ILF staff members work with governments globally, sharing their expertise to promote criminal justice reform.
[14] In 2019, it partnered with UNICEF Myanmar to support the implementation of the Child Rights Law, connecting young people with juvenile defense lawyers.
The ILF actively participates in the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice,[20][21][22] and retains consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).