Call for Consultants: Development of Advanced Training Materials on Freedom of Expression in South and Southeast Asia

Purpose of the consultancy contract

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop advanced 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 litigation surgeries. These modules have been designed for practising lawyers on key concepts relevant to litigating cases related to freedom of expression and for being 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 develop three additional modules to provide lawyers in the region with the knowledge and tools to take action on surveillance, violence against journalists, and take action before the UN Human Rights Procedures.

Deliverables

The development of three training modules on topics outlined below. The bullet points are suggestions of how to develop the modules, but the consultant is welcome to propose a new structure and expand the topics:

1. UN Human Rights Special Procedures and Treaty Bodies

• How lawyers in the region can use UN Special Procedures and Treaty Bodies and recent relevant cases to highlight as examples.

2. Surveillance

• Spyware, what it is, and how it is used against journalists.
• Identify key strategic litigation examples from different countries in the region.
• How those examples show different approaches that lawyers can use to litigate cases related to surveillance.
• Key developments in the past two years in the region.

3. Violence against journalists

• What are the duties of the State in protecting journalists.
• Different legal strategies in cases of violence against journalists.
• Online violence: what are the platforms doing, and how can the lawyers use mechanisms given by these platforms to litigate.

Expected timeline

•  13 December 2024: Deadline for submission of proposal
•  15 January 2025: Successful proposal will begin
•  15 February 2025: Submission of first draft of update for review by Media Defence’s Legal Team
•  15 March 2025: Final submission

Expected profile

•  At least five years of experience drafting resources on digital rights and freedom of expression, ideally for practising 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 training@mediadefence.org by 13 December 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 training@mediadefence.org