The Ethiopian Media Council is seeking a qualified consultant or team of experts to develop a comprehensive, practical, and localized training manual for journalists, editors, and media workers.

TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

Development of a Training Manual on Journalist Safety, Digital Security, and Legal Rights

1. Background & Rationale

Journalists frequently face multi-dimensional threats in the line of duty, ranging from physical violence and arbitrary detention to digital surveillance, hacking, and legal harassment (such as strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPPs). To ensure their protection and the continuation of independent reporting, media professionals must be equipped with practical, up-to-date knowledge on how to mitigate these risks.

[Ethiopian Media Council] is seeking a qualified consultant or team of experts to develop a comprehensive, practical, and localized Training Manual on Journalist Safety, Digital Security, and Legal Rights. This manual will serve as the core curriculum for upcoming capacity-building workshops.

2. Objectives of the Assignment

The primary objective is to design and produce a high-quality, accessible, and modular training manual that equips journalists, editors, and media workers with the tools to:

• Assess and mitigate physical risks in diverse reporting environments.
• Secure their digital communications, data, and sources against cyber threats.
• Understand their local and international legal rights, and navigate legal pressures safely.

3. Scope of Work & Core Modules

The consultant will be responsible for researching, drafting, and finalizing the manual. The content must be structured into modular formats suitable for both self-study and trainer-led workshops. The manual should cover three core pillars:

Module 1: Physical Safety & Risk Mitigation

• Risk Assessment: How to conduct pre-assignment risk assessments and draft security plans.
• Situational Awareness: Navigating protests, conflict zones, and hostile environments.
• Gender-Specific Safety: Addressing specific threats faced by women and non-binary journalists, including online and offline harassment.
• Psychological Safety: Managing trauma, stress, and burnout (for self and newsrooms).

Module 2: Digital Security & Privacy

• Securing Devices & Comms: Best practices for securing smartphones, laptops, and using encrypted communication tools (e.g., Signal, VPNs).
• Data Protection: Secure storage of sensitive footage, notes, and source identities; mitigating data leaks.
• Mitigating Online Threats: Strategies for dealing with doing, digital surveillance, phishing, and coordinated trolling campaigns.

Module 3: Legal Rights & Media Law

• Know Your Rights: Understanding local constitutional protections, freedom of expression laws, and international human rights frameworks.
• Navigating Legal Threats: Practical steps when facing defamation suits, arbitrary detention, or police interrogation.
• Source Protection: Legal obligations and rights regarding the non-disclosure of confidential sources.

4. Methodology

The consultant is expected to adopt a participatory approach, including:

1. Desk Review & Needs Assessment: Reviewing existing global/regional safety manuals and conducting brief interviews with local journalists to identify specific gaps.

2. Drafting: Developing the content using clear, jargon-free language, utilizing case studies, checklists, and step-by-step guides.

3. Validation: Presenting the draft to [Ethiopian Media Council] and select stakeholders for feedback.

4. Finalization: Incorporating feedback into the final copy-edited layout.

5. Key Deliverables & Timeline

The assignment is expected to take [e.g., 30-45 working days] over a period of [e.g.,45 days], commencing on [July 01/2026].

6. Required Qualifications & Experience

The ideal consultant or team should possess:

• An advanced degree in Journalism, Law, Human Rights, Information Technology, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of proven experience in media safety, digital rights advocacy, or legal defense of journalists.
• Demonstrated experience in developing training curricula, toolkits, or manuals for adult learners.
• Excellent writing and communication skills in [English].

7. Application & Evaluation Criteria

Interested candidates should submit the following by [June 30/2026]:

• Technical Proposal: Outline of the proposed approach, structure of the manual, and a work plan.
• Financial Proposal: Breakdown of costs (consultancy fees, research expenses, etc.).
• CVs & Portfolios: Profiles of key experts involved and samples of previously developed training materials.

8. Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated using cumulative analysis: Consultant's qualifications and relevant experience

• Proposed methodology and approach
• Budget feasibility and Copies of renewable licenses in the field and TAX/VAT identification documents
  • Technical Proposal: 60%
  • Financial Proposal: 40%

Application

Send to email: etmediacouncil@gmail.com

Submit Physically: Mesqel Square Finifine Building 8th Floor

Tender details

• Deadline: 2026-06-30
• Bid closing time: 17:00
• Bid opening: 2026-06-30 17:00
• Bid opening (note): No Specific Opening Date and Time
• Region: Addis Ababa
• Publishing entity: Ethiopian Media Council
• Buyer TIN: 0067343941
• Published: Jun 22, 2026
• Posted at: 2026-06-22T09:53:05.000Z
• Buyer website: https://ethiopianmediacouncil.org/