These violations involve the unlawful arrests, assaults, and harassment of journalists by state and non-state actors, such as supporters of political parties. Such violations impede the media from freely fulfilling its mandate during elections, compromising citizens’ ability to access information that enables them to make informed decisions and choices. Hence, the safety and security of media workers are critical as citizens rely on unfettered media for credible and verifiable information to participate in elections freely. In conjunction with key stakeholders, MISA Zimbabwe took various steps and interventions to secure a conducive media operating environment ahead of Zimbabwe’s 2023 harmonised elections. This resulted in a vastly improved safety and security environment for the country’s journalists and media workers. Several meetings were held with the police and political parties to secure a conducive media operating environment ahead of the 2023 elections. Following these meetings and the proclamation of the 2023 Zimbabwean elections on 31 May 2023 and the elections on 23 August 2023 (a period usually characterised by increased media freedom violations), only three (3) violations involving political actors were recorded. No media violations involving the police or other security arms of the state were recorded during this period. In collaboration with the Zimbabwe Media Commission and UNESCO Regional Office Southern Africa, MISA engaged the media since the beginning of 2023 to re-commit to the ideals of professionalism while covering elections. This was drawn from MISA’s experiences in the 2022 Lesotho elections, where MISA Lesotho took leadership in mobilising the media to commit and recommit to professionalism while covering the election. Zimbabwe’s media, comprising state-owned, private and community media, campus radio stations and freelance journalists, committed themselves to the highest ethical standards in the coverage of the 2023 elections. Media advocacy groups and academics also appended their signatures to the Harmonised Elections Media Code of Conduct Pledge 2023 in Bulawayo on August 10, 2023.The Pledge was endorsed by the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ), the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), political parties, Chapter 12 institutions, and statutory bodies. These interventions assisted in drastically improving the media operating environment during the year under review, as evidenced by the marked reduction in the number of media freedom violations noted and acknowledged in the election observer mission reports on the 2023 harmonised elections. 6