Media Rights Agenda (MRA) was established in 1993 as an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization for the purpose of, among other things, promoting and protecting media freedom and freedom of expression in Nigeria. 

MRA is registered in Nigeria and has Observer Status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The specific mandate of the organization is:

1.        To promote respect and recognition for media freedom and freedom of expression in Nigeria;
2.         To provide protection and support for journalists and writers engaged in the lawful pursuit of their professional duties;
3.         To promote the highest standards of professional ethics, integrity, training and conduct in the journalism profession; and
4.         To bring about a conducive social and legal atmosphere for the practice of journalism, and in particular, ensuring the protection of the journalist’s right not to compelled to work against his or her conviction or disclose sources of information.

Media Rights Agenda has an organizational structure made up of an Executive Committee, a Board of Trustees, an informal Advisory Council and a Secretariat.

The Executive Committee is MRA’s policy formulating organ (the Board of Directors).  Its members are drawn from among professional journalists and lawyers.  Although the Committee, as a body, is concerned with broad policy matters, members with specialized skills in certain areas of MRA’s activities take on supervisory responsibility for some of the projects. 

Media Rights Agenda is registered under a trusteeship.  The Board of Trustees is made up of four members of the Executive Committee who were appointed by the Executive Committee for the purpose of effecting the registration of the organization.

The Advisory Council consists of lawyers, journalists and human rights advocates who have attained some distinction in their various professional fields and provide influential support for MRA.  However, they have no oversight responsibility within the organization, either as a body or individually.