The Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) is seeking applications for its call “Digital Rights Advancement Grants” to improve local access to legal assistance for online media and bloggers in order to advance digital rights and standards in online freedom of expression.

Objectives

As part of this project, MLDI is offering one-off 6-8 month grants of up to between GBP14,000 and GBP16,000 to organisations with backgrounds in defending and supporting the right to freedom of expression. The grants can be used for the following types of projects in East, West or Southern Africa:

• Provide legal advice or support services;
• Undertake advocacy activities on laws and/or policies that limit freedom of expression online, advocate for the implementation of court rulings that promote digital rights, or publicise new legal standards on digital rights;
• Develop or advance an advocacy and/or strategic litigation coalition to reform laws and/or policies which limit freedom of expression online;
• Build or strengthen regional relationships with digital rights advocacy groups;
• Analyse laws, policies, and practices that infringe on journalists’ right to freedom of expression online and/or provide training in online freedom of expression and digital rights to journalists, bloggers, and independent media;
• Research on, or monitoring of, violations of the right to freedom of expression online;
• Other projects and activities may be considered but should be discussed with the Project Coordinator before application.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered, organisations must meet the following criteria:

• The grant is open to NGOs, law centres and independent media outlets registered in East Africa, West Africa, or Southern Africa;
• The organisation must have a background or demonstrable interest in advocacy, litigation, and/or provision of legal support;
• The organisation should have previous experience in the advancement and protection of freedom of expression in the country or region where it operates; and
• The organisation must have sufficient administrative and financial capacity to comply with MLDI’s reporting requirements.

How to Apply

Interested organisations are encouraged to submit a concept note though MLDI’s grant application portal.

Eligible Countries

East Africa: Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Malawi, Somalia, South Sudan, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia.

West Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, the island of Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, the island of Saint Helena, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principe and Togo.

Southern Africa: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.