[Now Closed] Call for Consultants: Update of Training Materials on Freedom of Expression in South and Southeast Asia

Purpose of the consultancy contract

This is a call for consultants to review and update eleven existing training modules on freedom of expression in South and Southeast Asia.

Background

Media Defence’s vision is a world where journalists no longer face legal challenges that threaten their ability to report freely and independently on issues of public interest, allowing citizens to be better informed, thereby enabling them to hold those in power to account.

Our mission is to ensure legal protection of journalists and media workers under threat for reporting on issues of public interest, in the belief that freedom of expression is essential.

One of Media Defence’s core activities is the delivery of litigation surgeries. These litigation surgeries aim to contribute to the increase in the knowledge, skills and confidence of lawyers to litigate digital rights and freedom of expression cases at the national and international level. We have developed a Resource Hub containing sets of training modules on digital rights and freedom of expression online for different global regions which are the core content for the litigation surgeries. These modules have been designed for practicing lawyers on key concepts relevant to litigating cases related to freedom of expression and to be used as reference guides on comparative and international law.

Training Modules Update

As freedom of expression is increasingly under threat in South and Southeast Asia, Media Defence would like to update its current materials, first drafted in 2022. Additionally, we will be hosting a litigation surgery for women lawyers from the region in September 2024 for which we require an updated set of modules as a basis for the convening.

We are looking to hire a consultant to update eleven existing summary modules, by updating relevant case law and other information. The focus will be on including recent international and comparative law developments, identifying emerging trends, and reflecting gendered issues within the existing topics. This is a fast-developing area of law; where relevant, the consultant should provide an overview of current status of litigation and potential opportunities or strategies for lawyers.

The updated modules will then be added to the Resource Hub to ensure that both lawyers who have participated in a litigation surgery and those who have not are able to deepen their knowledge of litigating cases in South and Southeast Asia.

Deliverables

As the summary modules for South and Southeast Asia were published in September 2022, the consultancy will be focused on updating the existing modules, including international and comparative law and identifying and reflecting emerging trends.

Please see below for the deliverables:

(1) Update Summary Modules

Module 1 – Key Principles of International Law and Freedom of Expression

Module 2 – Introduction to Digital Rights

Module 3 – Access to the Internet

Module 4 – Data Privacy and Data Protection

Module 5 – Defamation

Module 6 – Hate Speech

Module 7 – Cybercrimes

Module 8 – ‘False News’, Misinformation, and Propaganda

Module 9 – National Security

Module 10 – Violence Against Journalists 

Module 11 – Introduction to UN Mechanisms

(2) Update the glossary and PowerPoint presentation for each module

Expected timeline

• 28 March 2024: Deadline for submission of proposal
• 11 April 2024: Successful proposal will begin
• 31 May 2024: Submission of first draft of update for review by Media Defence’s Legal Team
• 1 July 2024: Final submission

Expected profile

• At least 2 years’ experience drafting resources on digital rights and freedom of expression, ideally for practicing lawyers, with specific experience related to legal mechanisms in South and Southeast Asia.
• Demonstrated knowledge of international/comparative law on the right to freedom of expression and digital rights, with a particular focus on South and Southeast Asia.
• Availability to provide the deliverables within the expected timeline

How to apply

Please submit the following documents to hanna.uihlein@mediadefence.org by 28th March 2024:

• A one-page proposal including key dates and timelines for the project.
• CV of those working on the project.
• Quotation/itemised budget in GBP (£).
• Example of relevant previous work undertaken.

If you have any questions regarding the Terms of Reference, please contact hanna.uihlein@mediadefence.org.