[NOW CLOSED] Call for Consultants: Update of Content for Resource Hub on Digital Rights

The Consultancy

We are looking to hire a consultant to review and update the existing Resource Hub content. The Resource Hub covers digital rights and freedom of expression online for practicing lawyers in East, West and Southern Africa.

Background

The Resource Hub is structured as an entry point to all of Media Defence’s training materials for lawyers in sub-Saharan Africa. It encompasses ten themes, for example defamation and reputation, as well as emerging trends, such as intermediary liability. The Resource Hub and modules generated nearly 20,000 unique page views in May 2022.

The content constitutes part of our Empowering Women in Digital Rights Advocacy project, which began in 2021. The project aims to support lawyers litigating digital rights and freedom of expression cases in East, West and Southern Africa. There is a particular focus on online violence against journalists and gender specific issues. Among the activities in this project 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. It also serves as a space for us to continue to support the network of participating lawyers, providing useful resources for the cases on which they are working.

Resource Hub Update

The update will be focused on updating relevant case law and information, including international and comparative law, adding recent emerging trends and reflecting gender issues within the existing topics. Furthermore, the update aims to be more accessible and coherent than the current version, with content that can be easily copied and pasted. Additionally, the update will complement the existing resources with practical tools for lawyers. The Resource Hub is a platform that encompasses various forms of legal content, including the eReader with its summary and advanced modules, which make up the largest part of the Hub. In this context, the update will focus to a large extent on the eReader modules and shall ensure the interconnectedness of both the Resource Hub and the eReader.

Scope

We are looking for a consultant to review the existing content and update relevant information. Moreover, where suitable, the consultant can develop additional content within the existing topics. The updated content should also focus on interactivity with the target audience of practicing lawyers.

Please see below the existing resources requiring an update:

• Media Defence’s Resource Hub
• Specific resources to update:
  • 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: We are in the process of producing training modules on Online Violence against Journalists, which will be uploaded to the Resource Hub by mid-September. We will share these modules with the selected consultant for reference.

Based on the existing material, we are also interested in suggestions on how to better link the Resource Hub content to the main website.

Expected timeline

• 1 September 2022: Deadline for submission of proposal
• 12 September 2022: Successful proposal will begin with a review of the existing material
• 25 September 2022: Submission of findings of the review and call with Media Defence
• 16 October 2022: Submission of the update for review by Media Defence’s Legal Team
• 16 November 2022: Final submission

Expected profile

• At least two 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

How to apply

You can find the full Terms of Reference here.

Please submit the following documents to hanna.uihlein@mediadefence.org by 1 September 2022:

• 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 on the above email address.