Media Watch

Media plays crucial role in shaping public opinion and setting the mass agenda. Aim of this programme is to campaign for ethical, unbiased and impartial journalism, safety of journalist and freedom of expression to guarantee the rule of law, peace and harmony in the society. The objective of this thematic area is to explore, identify and foreground the issues and role of media and its importance in shaping mass opinion, development of society and social growth. Major focus of Media Watch programme is:

  • Promotion of Ethical Journalism
  • Efforts for Impartial, balance and unbiased reporting
  • Journalist Safety and Security
  • Promotion of Freedom of Press and Right to Information
  • Promotion of Investigative Journalist through Right to Information (RTI) laws
Current Projects Under Media Watch
Civil Society for Independent Media and Expression (CIME)

Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) has initiated a project in January 2020, titled “Civil Society for Independent Media and Expression” (CIME) along with two other implementing partners namely Media Matters for Democracy (MMfD) and Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) funded by EU. The overall objective of this project is to protect and promote Freedom of expression (FoE) offline & online and to facilitate citizen’s right of Access to Information (ATI) as stipulated in articles 19 and 19-A of the constitution of Pakistan respectively. The target beneficiaries of this project include human rights defenders especially freedom of expression activists, media rights activists and digital rights activists, women’s rights activists and feminists working on issues of inclusion of women working journalists, editors and media managers, internet users who are individually engaged in digital journalism and advocacy, human rights lawyers , concerned legislators and parliamentary committee members and state institutions like National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR), National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW), Parliamentary Commission on Human Rights (PCHR) and Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Studies (PIPS).

This initiative has been designed to respond to the EU’s priority of promoting freedom of expression (online and offline) and access to information. The project design includes activities geared to enable specific changes to advocacy for enactment of these policies at the national level while further paving the way for introduction of second generation RTI laws at the provincial level in Balochistan. The proposed action is a step forward towards ensuring transparency and accountability in governance via access to information, journalists’ safety by delivering holistic security training and ensuring FoE, legal support to journalists, and advocacy for an independent media regulation that will collectively lead to development, strengthening democratic institutions and citizens access to viable information.  

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Publications

 

Title Publisher Date
Assessment of Right to Information Implementation  CPDI June 2022
Assessment of RTI Implementation via FOIANet Methodology  CPDI December 2021
Pakistan Freedom of Expression Report 2020  Media Matters for Democracy February 2021
White Paper On Policy Efforts To Regulate Online Media Media Matters for Democracy December 2020
White Paper on Reforms for the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 Media Matters for Democracy May 2020
Policy Paper on Draft Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2020 Pakistan Press Foundation December 2020
Advocacy Campaign for Right to Information Legislation in Balochistan CPDI October 2020
Women Journalists and the Double Bind Media Matters for Democracy December 2020
Public Trust in the Media during the Coronavirus Pandemic Media Matters for Democracy December 2020
Measuring the Right to Information Implementation CPDI December 2020

Media Coverage of CIME Trainings Sessions for Journalists 

May 2022 (Karachi)

Previous Projects Under Media Watch

Support to Media in Pakistan

 Support to Media in Pakistan

Project Title Support to Media in Pakistan
Supported ByIMS-DANIDA 
Duration24 Apr 2015 - 30 Nov 2016
Project ObjectivesTrain 1500 Journalists across Pakistan;
1. To improve their understanding and knowledge on legal framework and issues related to journalists safety
2. To enhance their basic life saving skills
Geographic Focus75 districts across Pakistan (districts of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, KP, AJK, Federal Capital and FATA)
Target Group & Beneficiaries Journalists
Brief Description Journalism as a profession has witnessed enormous growth over the past decade. But safety of journalists and issue of impunity still remains largely devoid of much needed attention by the government. Currently 18,000 or more journalists are working in Pakistan. In 2012, the UNESCO launched the UN Action Plan on Impunity against Journalists and Issues of Safety and included Pakistan among its five pilot countries for its implementation. CPDI has been given the task under this project by IMS-DANIDA to train 1500 local journalists across Pakistan in 75 training sessions on themes related to physical safety in the context of Pakistan’s environment. It is envisaged that by completing this two-day training workshop the journalists would get adequate knowledge and guidance, and learn significant tips and techniques to enter the field more confidently, carry out their professional work more objectively, and adopt safety procedures and protective mechanisms that are vital to safeguard their physical safety.