MISA Regional Annual Report 2023 Lessons learnt • • Effective planning has resulted in MISA Zambia undertaking most of the activities it outlined in its strategic plan which ends in 2024. The 2024 budgets need to include an evaluation of the MISA Zambia strategic plan because the evaluation planned for 2023 did not take place. Further, the development of the next plan needs to commence in 2024 to ensure the launch takes place in the first year of implementation of the Strategic Plan. Challenges and mitigation • • • Increased cost of goods and services. Revise budgets and engage partners on budget lines with allocations affected by inflation. Poor planning by some partners causes delays in activity implementation. Continue engaging such partners. End of projects - Engage donors to continue funding MISA Zambia and so far three have come on board for the year 2024. Conclusion MISA Zambia was able to address all media freedom-related matters and is on course to implement its strategic plan, which ends in 2024. It was able to defend the above-stated freedoms through legal support, statement issuance, and engagement with those violating freedom of expression and media freedom. MISA Zambia used various activities in its work plans and partnered with other civil society organisations in bringing the public’s attention to key developments in freedom of expression in Zambia. This resulted in several state pronouncements regarding media freedom and policy or law reforms, including reviewing the IBA and ZNBC Acts. The icing on the cake was the enactment of the ATI Bill. However, areas of concern still remained, particularly the increased media violations. Country Reports Snapshots 43