The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has launched a dedicated legal support fund to provide financial assistance for legal representation to journalists facing litigation threats in Ghana.

The announcement was made by Dr. Kodwo Impraim, Programmes Director for Media for Development and Good Governance Programme at MFWA, during the opening of a five-day residential legal training programme for journalists in Accra.

The training was organised under the Africa Media Independence and Resilience (AMIR) programme, a 2.5-year project implemented by MFWA in collaboration with DW Akademie with funding from the European Union through International Media Support (IMS).

Dr. Impraim said journalists must have a strong understanding of the legal environment within which they operate, stressing that knowledge of journalism must go beyond reporting stories.

“Being a journalist is not only about knowing what to report on but also knowing your rights, understanding the law and knowing what to do when these rights are challenged.”

He said journalists in Ghana continue to face various forms of adversity including threats, lawsuits, injunctions and cyber-related risks, making access to legal support increasingly important.

According to him, the newly established fund is intended to assist journalists who encounter legal challenges in the course of their professional duties by helping them access legal representation.

He noted that the initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen media independence, resilience and the ability of journalists to understand and defend their rights.

Dr. Impraim further explained that the AMIR programme is being implemented in five African countries including Ghana in West Africa, the Central African Republic in Central Africa, and Ethiopia and Kenya in the horn of Africa.

The five-day training is expected to equip journalists with practical knowledge of legal frameworks, media rights, redress mechanisms and strategies for managing legal risks associated with journalism.

The initiative comes at a time when journalists increasingly require knowledge of the law to navigate issues including defamation, injunctions, cyber-related offences and other legal challenges that may arise from their work.