Legal aid is an essential element of a fair, humane and efficient criminal justice system that is based on the rule of law and a foundation for the enjoyment of other rights, including the right to a fair trial. This project, a collaboration between UNODC, UN Women, and OHCHR, complements ongoing efforts to improve access to legal aid in West Africa. It focuses on promoting and implementing gender-responsive legislation and policies, enhancing the capacity of legal aid providers and legal empowerment of women, including through training of women leaders and through partnerships with organizations to improve legal education and access to legal information and services. With a human-rights based approach and gender equality consideration, and in close cooperation with national and local authorities and other stakeholders, the project ultimately seeks to promote the availability and delivery of sustainable specialized legal aid services for women, including through targeted capacity building, as well as training of trainers to ensure effective knowledge management and local ownership, through enhancing the role and capacity of all relevant stakeholders to deliver gender responsive and rights-based services, with a view to taking into account an intersectional approach to the situation of women requesting these services.