Strengthening Institutional Governance: The MFWA is governed by a seven-member Board, including the Executive Director. The Board is made up of accomplished media and human rights professionals from different countries in West Africa. The Board exercises the overall organisational governance and provides strategic vision and direction of the organisation.
To facilitate and strengthen the work of the Board, the organisation holds bi-annual Board meetings. The meetings are used to review performance, approve strategic documents, including budgets, and appoint auditors. Decisions of the Board subsequently guide and inform the work of the organisation.
Improving Systems and Efficiency: The work of the MFWA and its staff is also guided by policy documents approved by the Board on issues such as personnel and administration, financial management, monitoring and evaluation, gender and safeguarding issues and communication among other issues. To ensure that the documents are up-to-date and constantly in conformity with best practices, the MFWA reviews and updates these documents periodically to ensure the efficient running of the organisation.
Improving Visibility: The MFWA is passionate about growing and improving its outreach and visibility. The organisation, therefore, continues to invest in its communications, especially, producing content about its work and impact, and maintaining and improving its website. Periodically, the organisation contracts consultants who audit the website and make recommendations on how to improve it. The organisation is also investing in the production of a website management guide to streamline how content is managed on, and how to increase traffic to the MFWA website. The social media handles of the organisation are also used to further enhance the reach of our communications. The MFWA continues to explore opportunities and support for enhancing the knowledge and skills of its communication team as part of its visibility drive.
While growing our online presence, reach and visibility, the MFWA continues to work with legacy media in promoting its work. For instance, each year, the organisation partners dozens of media outlets in almost all the countries in the region to publicise the West African Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA). Also, all Alerts, statements and articles from the organisation are shared with our media list serve who support in republishing them and, thus, increase their reach.
Strengthening Capacities of Staff and Partner Organisations: To further advance its work and impact, the MFWA continues to enhance staff capacity through on-the-job and in-house training sessions, participation in area-specific workshops, and in national, regional and international conferences. Participation in conferences is aimed at motivating and boosting staff confidence and giving them opportunity to build networks and learn from the experiences of others.
Similarly, partner organisations are supported periodically to participate in training and workshop programmes to strengthen their capacities in Freedom of Expression (FOE), digital rights, and media development advocacy. Some partner organisations are also supported periodically to build and improve their systems through the development of strategic documents such as strategic plans and fundraising plans. In addition, partner organisations are supported to participate in international conferences to facilitate donor engagements, build networks, and share and learn from the experiences of others.
