Artwatch Africa is a project of Arterial Network, an Africa-wide civil society network of artists, cultural activists, creative enterprises, cultural NGOs and others engaged in the development of the African creative sector in its own right, and as a means to contribute to human rights, democracy and the eradication of poverty in Africa. Artwatch Africa - the establishment of which has been made possible by Mimeta Foundation - will monitor and campaign around the practice of, and constraints on freedom of creative expression in Africa. Arterial Network hereby calls for Researchers to map freedom of creative expression (the right of artists freely to express their opinions and to create and distribute their art) in all African countries.

Tasks:

Each researcher will be required to:

1.National laws
1.1provide information about the country's ratification of international instruments that promote and protect freedom of creative expression
1.2provide information about the country's constitution and its protection - or not - of freedom of creative expression
1.3provide information about any existing law that governs/affects freedom in producing or distributing art in all its forms (film, theatre, music, visual art, literature, dance, etc)
1.4provide information about any legal mechanism - national, regional or local - that plays a censorship role with regard to the freedom of creative expression and distribution
1.5provide information about any laws and/or legal mechanism that control to seek to censor the media - television, radio, print, web, etc - thereby potentially impacting directly or indirectly on the arts
1.6provide concrete examples of how artists have been, or are affected by these

2.Religious, cultural and other traditions
2.1provide information about religious and/or traditions laws that impact negatively on freedom of creative expression.
2.2provide concrete examples of how artists have been, or are affected by these

3.Informal forms of censorship
3.1provide information about ways in which artists are censored or have their freedoms adversely affected that are not legally or culturally based e.g. political or other forms of intimidation
3.2provide information about ways in which accessing public funds or other perks are used to intimidate or censor artists

4.Human rights organisations
4.1to provide contact details of human rights organisations active in the country
4.1.1international organisations e.g. Amnesty International
4.1.2national organisations e.g. Lawyers for Human Rights
4.1.3local organisations
4.2to provide contact details of arts organisations working in the field of human rights or in defence and promotion of human rights
4.3to provide contact details of media (journalists, newspapers, bloggers, etc) working to promote or defend human rights

5.Examples of contraventions of freedom of creative expression
5.1provide concrete examples of artists who have suffered under the contravention of freedom of expression by
5.1 political authorities
5.2 religious authorities
5.3 cultural practices
5.4 economic or other forms of censorship
5.5 fellow artists or arts organisations

Required competencies:

-Possess good knowledge of the artistic, cultural and human rights sector in the country
-Be organized and be able to adhere to strict deadlines
-Have a background or interest in cultural management, human, law or political sciences
-Proven research ability (senior students are welcome to apply)
-The ability to read and write well in Arabic or French or English or Portuguese (depending on the country)
-Competency in Microsoft Word
-Access to internet

Conditions of recruitment:

Length of mission: Eight-weeks (to be completed by 31 October 2011
Remuneration: 500 euros for the whole mission.
Please note that preference will be given to members of Arterial Network.

Please send a letter of application stating your country and motivating your suitability for this research undertaking. Also include your résumé, whether you are a member of Arterial Network or not, and your contact details (email address, skype address, mobile number, landline) to Espera Donouvossi at espera@arterialnetwork.org.

Closing date: Friday 2 September 2011