The Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) recognizes the pivotal role of media in shaping public opinion and fostering a democratic society. Through its **Media Development **program, CPDI is dedicated to promoting ethical journalism, ensuring the safety of journalists, and upholding freedom of expression. The program focuses on:

• Promotion of Ethical Journalism: Advocating for unbiased and impartial reporting standards.
• Journalist Safety and Security: Implementing measures to protect journalists from threats and violence.
• Freedom of Press and Right to Information: Championing the rights enshrined in Articles 19 and 19-A of Pakistan's Constitution.
• Investigative Journalism through RTI Laws: Empowering journalists to utilize Right to Information laws for in-depth reporting.

Key Initiatives and Projects:

1. Support to Media in Pakistan

Supported By: IMS-DANIDA Duration: April 24, 2015 – November 30, 2016 Objectives: Train 1,500 journalists across Pakistan to improve their understanding of legal frameworks and safety issues.

• Enhance their basic life-saving skills to better prepare them for challenging environments.
• Geographic Focus: 75 districts across Pakistan, covering Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, KP, AJK, Federal Capital, and FATA. Target Group & Beneficiaries: Journalists. **Brief Description:**Journalism has witnessed enormous growth over the past decade, but the safety of journalists and issues of impunity remain largely neglected. CPDI, under this project supported by IMS-DANIDA, conducted 75 training sessions across Pakistan on physical safety measures. These two-day workshops provided journalists with essential knowledge, safety procedures, and protective mechanisms to enhance their security and confidence while reporting.

2. Civil Society for Independent Media and Expression (CIME)

Supported By: European Union **Duration: **January 2020 – December 2022 Objectives:

• Protect and promote freedom of expression both online and offline.
• Strengthen citizens' right to access information as per Articles 19 and 19-A of Pakistan's Constitution. Target Group & Beneficiaries: Human rights defenders, media rights activists, digital rights advocates, journalists, and state institutions. **Brief Description: ** CPDI, in collaboration with Media Matters for Democracy (MMfD) and Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), worked to enhance press freedom through policy advocacy, capacity building, legal support for journalists, and promotion of independent media regulation. The project played a critical role in fostering a media environment where journalists could operate freely and without intimidation.

3. Strengthening Media Persons' Capacity and Engagement for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (January 2024 – December 2026)

The Strengthening Media Persons’ Capacity and Engagement for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms project is a European Union (EU)-funded initiative designed to strengthen media freedom, democratic discourse, and human rights advocacy in Pakistan. Implemented in all four provinces, CPDI (Punjab & Sindh) and Individual Land (Balochistan & Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) are leading efforts to empower independent media professionals, enhance civic engagement, and promote digital rights awareness.

Through a multi-faceted approach, the project aims to: ✅ Enhance the capacity of journalists, bloggers, vloggers, and podcasters for safe, independent, and inclusive reporting. ✅ Protect and support media workers against threats and restrictions. ✅ Promote digital literacy to counter disinformation, digital threats, and media manipulation. ✅ Enable effective engagement between media professionals, CSOs, policymakers, and social media platforms to foster fair regulations and uphold democratic values.

Through these initiatives, CPDI strives to create a media landscape in Pakistan that is free, responsible, and conducive to democratic values.