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BBC Media Action has announced plans to develop Sierra Leone’s first dedicated support mechanism for journalists who have experienced sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH) in newsrooms, marking a significant step toward strengthening media safety and safeguarding standards in the country.
The organisation is recruiting a specialist consultant to design the mechanism over a two-month period January to February 2026 through a combination of in-country fieldwork in Freetown and remote analysis. The initiative aims to create a practical, survivor-centred model that media organisations can adopt to support affected journalists and improve accountability structures in the industry.
Addressing a Long-Standing, Underreported Problem
Journalists in Sierra Leone, as in many parts of the world, face risks of SEAH that often go unreported due to stigma, weak internal reporting systems, and limited access to survivor-centred services. The new initiative seeks to confront these challenges by establishing a formal pathway for survivors to seek help.
The mechanism will connect journalists to vetted local medical, psychosocial, and legal service providers while strengthening newsroom reporting procedures and safeguarding frameworks.
“A functioning survivor-support mechanism can reduce harm, restore trust and set a regional precedent for how media organisations respond to SEAH,” BBC Media Action noted, emphasising that journalist safety is essential to press freedom and democratic life in Sierra Leone.
Consultant to Lead Research, Design and Drafting
BBC Media Action is seeking a consultant with proven expertise in SEAH prevention and response, safeguarding policy development, and survivor-centred case management. The consultant’s responsibilities will include:
Conducting a feasibility study
Mapping and assessing local service providers
Drafting a safeguarding framework and survivor-protection protocol
Creating an operational model tailored to Sierra Leone’s media landscape
The assignment requires 20–30 working days, with BBC Media Action facilitating travel, logistics, and fieldwork arrangements. The selected consultant must be available to travel to Freetown during the project window.
Improving Safety, Accountability and Standards
The planned mechanism is expected to address several critical gaps in Sierra Leone’s media ecosystem by:
Offering confidential access to specialised services for survivors
Strengthening reporting and accountability within newsrooms
Enhancing the capability of local service providers to respond to SEAH involving journalists
Helping media organisations meet international safeguarding and donor standards
BBC Media Action emphasised that survivor agency, confidentiality, and access to appropriate care will be central to the model.
Application Details
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until 16 December 2025. Submissions must include:
A 2–3 page CV highlighting relevant SEAH and safeguarding experience
A 1-page cover letter outlining suitability and availability
A 2–3 page technical summary or methodology for undertaking the assignment
A proposed daily rate or fixed fee
Confirmation of availability for travel during January–February 2026
Evidence of safeguarding training or relevant certification
Two referees familiar with the applicant’s SEAH or safeguarding work
BBC Media Action says the consultancy presents an opportunity for professionals committed to journalist safety and survivor-centred practice to make a “tangible, lasting difference” in the country’s media sector.
