The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has taken its legal training programme for journalists to the northern sector, seeking to strengthen their understanding of their rights and available legal protections in the course of their professional duties.

The five-day residential training, being held in Kumasi from September 22 to 25, 2026, brings together senior reporters and editors from media organisations in the Ashanti and Northern regions.

The training forms part of the African Media Integrity and Resilience Programme (AMIRP) – Ghana, implemented by the MFWA in collaboration with DW Akademie and funded by the European Union through International Media Support (IMS).

The programme is designed to equip journalists with the knowledge and confidence to carry out their professional responsibilities while better understanding how to defend their rights when faced with legal challenges or judicial intimidation.

A key component of the training is an introduction to the operational guidelines of a dedicated legal support fund established under the project.

The fund is intended to provide financial assistance for legal representation to journalists who face litigation or judicial harassment arising from their professional work.

The initiative comes amid continuing concerns about the legal and professional risks journalists may face when reporting on issues of public interest.

The MFWA says greater awareness of legal rights and available support mechanisms is important in enabling journalists to respond appropriately when their work results in legal challenges.

Participants are therefore expected to gain a better understanding of the legal protections available to them, as well as practical knowledge on navigating legal processes that may arise from their professional activities.

The training forms part of broader efforts under AMIRP-Ghana to strengthen media integrity and resilience while supporting journalists to perform their duties with greater confidence.