AGHS Legal Aid Cell was co-founded by Asma Jahangir in 1980 to provide free legal representation for vulnerable women, children, bonded labourers, people in prison and religious minorities. It is now the leading law firm in constitutional and family law related legal work.

The fundamental principles of AGHS policy are essentially concerned with strengthening respect for human rights through providing free legal representation and by building a stronger constituency of activists, mainly women to challenge non-discrimination, violence and threats against the vulnerable. AGHS highlights violations of human rights and provides free legal representation to end impunity for perpetrators of human rights violations.

AGHS is celebrated for its quality service in legal aid. The firm was the first to raise the issue of women and girls being killed for honour.