Created in 2001, the ILF is an international nongovernmental organization that assists post-conflict and transitional countries in establishing public defender systems that provide effective, quality criminal defense services for the poor. It is guided by two fundamental principles: that laws must be drafted with an appreciation of the cultural realities of the country in which they will function; and that defense lawyers—as guardians of due process—are indispensable to any fair system of justice and must be provided to anyone accused of a crime.