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Background

The Lawyers for Media Association (MELA) is a growing network of legal professionals committed to protecting and promoting freedom of expression, press freedom, and digital rights in Ethiopia. While MELA includes many lawyers already active in media-related legal defense, the network remains open to new members with similar commitments.

Despite growing media activity and emerging legal reforms, media law remains an underdeveloped field of legal practice in Ethiopia, with a very few lawyers formally specializing in it. This training is designed to address this gap by equipping current and potential MELA members with the legal and practical skills necessary to support journalists, media outlets, and freedom of expression more broadly.

The training is part of CEHRO’s broader effort under the its promoting media freedom and strengthening Freedom of Expression (FoE) programs to strengthen the enabling environment for information and media in Ethiopia.

Objective of the Training

The overall objective is to build and strengthen the capacity of lawyers engaged in defending media rights and freedom of expression by offering:

• A comprehensive introduction to Ethiopian and international media law frameworks;

• Practical legal defense strategies and trial skills;

• Insights into strategic litigation and digital rights protections;

• Knowledge on the legal implications of cybercrime laws and related policies affecting media actors.

Scope of Work

The selected trainer will be responsible for designing and delivering a two-day capacity-building training for lawyers engaged in media and freedom of expression work in Ethiopia. While the training primarily targets members of the lawyers for media association (MELA), it will also include other legal professionals working on media-related issues who are expected to support or join the network in the future. The overarching goal of the training is to build a cohort of skilled media lawyers capable of advancing freedom of expression through legal defense, strategic litigation, and informed engagement with emerging digital and cybersecurity challenges.

The trainer will develop and facilitate interactive sessions that include both legal theory and practical applications, aimed at strengthening participants’ knowledge and trial skills in media law. Specific modules to be covered over the two days may include:

• Overview of media law and freedom of expression in Ethiopia, including constitutional guarantees and key proclamations such as the Mass Media Proclamation, Computer Crime Proclamation, and Hate Speech and Disinformation Prevention Proclamation;

• International legal standards, with a focus on instruments such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR);

• Rights and responsibilities of journalists and media outlets, and the evolving legal and regulatory landscape they operate within;

• Legal defense strategies for media-related cases, including trial preparation and litigation tactics;

• Case review and simulation exercises, enabling participants to analyze and engage with real or hypothetical legal scenarios;

• Strategic litigation approaches, drawing on landmark national and regional cases that have advanced media freedom;

• Introduction to digital rights, including freedom of expression online, privacy, and data protection;

• Legal implications of cybercrime and digital surveillance laws, and how these intersect with press freedom;

• Online safety and legal protection for journalists, particularly in conflict or high-risk environments;

Duration and Location:

• Training duration: 1 day

• Tentative timeline: August 25- September 20th

•  Location:  Addis Ababa

Deliverables:

• Detailed training agenda and materials

• One day of in-person training

• Training report, including participant list, summary of content, and reflections

Job Requirements:

• Advanced degree in Media Law, Human Rights, or related fields

• Demonstrated expertise in media law, freedom of expression, or digital rights

• Experience conducting legal trainings and capacity building

• Familiarity with the Ethiopian legal system, media and human rights landscape

• Excellent communication and facilitation skills

How to Apply:

Qualified and interested applicants can submit the following application documents to humanresources@cehro.org within 7 consecutive days after the advertisement of this call.

Interested candidates should submit:

• CV outlining relevant experience

• Brief technical proposal including the proposed approach and agenda

• Financial proposal with a breakdown of fees and associated costs

NB: CEHRO is an equal opportunity organization, and Women and Persons with Disability applicants are encouraged.\