Call for Consultants: Update of Training Modules for Resource Hub on Digital Rights in sub-Saharan Africa

1. Purpose of the consultancy contract

The purpose of the consultancy contract is to review and update the existing Resource Hub content for practicing lawyers in East, West and Southern Africa on digital rights and freedom of expression online.

2. 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.

Media Defence’s 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.

As part of our capacity building activities, Media Defence aims to support lawyers litigating digital rights and freedom of expression cases in East, West and Southern Africa. Among the capacity building activities are litigation surgeries to increase the knowledge, skills and confidence of lawyers, especially women lawyers, taking cases to national and regional courts. The current Resource Hub contains the training material for these litigation surgeries and it also serves as a space for Media Defence to continue to support the network of lawyers who have participated in the litigation surgeries by providing useful resources for the cases they are working on.

3. Resource Hub Content Update

Media Defence’s Resource Hub was launched in 2021, with some of the core resources drafted in 2020 and early 2021. The resources have also been updated in 2022. As the digital rights landscape is developing constantly, Media Defence is looking to hire a consultant to review and update the content of the Resource Hub. The update of the Resource Hub will be focused on updating the existing summary and advanced training modules for sub-Saharan Africa by updating relevant case laws and information, including international and comparative law, adding recent emerging trends and reflecting gendered issues within the existing topics. The consultant will also review a set of training modules on online violence against journalists which has not been published yet and will ensure that the modules match the format of the existing modules. Furthermore, the update aims to ensure accessibility and coherence, with content that can easily be copied and pasted into legal briefs. Additionally, the update will complement the existing resources with practical tools for lawyers.

The Resource Hub is structured as an entry point to all of Media Defence’s training materials for lawyers in sub-Saharan Africa. The Resource Hub and modules have generated more than 150,000 unique page views since its launch in 2021.

Media Defence is looking for a consultant to review the existing summary and advanced training modules on digital rights in sub-Saharan Africa and to review an additional set of modules on online violence against journalists.

Please see below the existing resources to be updated in this consultancy:
Specific resources to be updated:

Summary Modules on Digital Rights and Freedom of Expression Online in sub-Saharan Africa

Advanced Modules on Digital Rights and Freedom of Expression Online in sub-Saharan Africa

Upcoming resources: The additional set of modules on Online Violence against Journalists will be shared with the selected consultant for reference.

4. Expected timeline

13 November 2023: Deadline for submission of proposal

24 November 2023: Successful proposal will begin with a review of the existing  material

11 December 2023: Submission of findings of the review and call with Media Defence

2 February 2024: Submission of the update for review by Media Defence’s Legal Team

23 February 2024: Final submission

5. 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 regional mechanisms in East, West and Southern Africa and online violence.

•   Demonstrated knowledge of international/comparative law on the right to freedom of expression, digital rights, and internet freedom, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa.

•   Availability to provide the deliverables within the expected timeline

6. How to apply

Please submit the following documents to hanna.uihlein@mediadefence.org by 13 November 2023:

•   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.