MRCG Convenes Advocacy Meeting to Promote Women’s Digital Rights and Media Freedom in Sierra Leone

By MRCG

The Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG), with funding support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, has on 27 January 2026, held an advocacy meeting focused on women’s digital rights and media freedoms in Sierra Leone.

The meeting brought together 15 women representatives from diverse institutions, including the media, civil society, and women’s rights organisations, to examine challenges women face in the digital space and to shape collective advocacy mechanisms.

MRCG’s National Coordinator, Dr. Francis Sowa, outlined the objectives of the meeting and underscored the importance of protecting women’s digital rights as online engagement continues to expand. ‘As more women engage with digital platforms for journalism, activism, and civic participation, it is critical that their rights are protected and their voices amplified. This engagement is part of MRCG’s broader commitment to promoting media freedom, digital inclusion, and safe online spaces for women in Sierra Leone,’ he noted.

The meeting was chaired by the President of Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WiMSAL), Eastina Taylor-Tucker, who encouraged open and inclusive dialogue among participants and highlighted the gender-specific barriers facing women in the online environment. “Women continue to encounter harassment, intimidation, and exclusion in digital spaces, and these challenges directly affect their freedom of expression. By bringing women together to share experiences and propose solutions, we are laying the foundation for stronger advocacy and policy responses,” she stated.

Members discussed a range of women’s online issues, identified key challenges in the digital environment, and developed recommendations that will feed into an outcome document. The document is expected to guide future advocacy aimed at addressing online safety, digital literacy, access, and rights for women in the digital space.

The advocacy meeting forms part of MRCG’s ongoing work, supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, to advance inclusive media reforms and strengthen protections for women within Sierra Leone’s evolving digital and media landscape.