The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative

After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. 

Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future. 

On the transfer, co-founder Victoria Martin expressed her pleasure to see this work continue under Wits' leadership, knowing that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction. 

As Wits, we honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades and look forward building from that strong base. This includes co-founders Warren Feek (1953-2024) and Victoria Martin as well as La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA), which continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com with links to The CI Global site. We are also eager to forge new partnerships and entertain new ideas as we consider how best to contribute to social and behaviour change in our rapidly evolving environment.

If you are joining the International Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Summit in Panama, please join Wits and CILA on Monday, 22 June, to share your thoughts and suggestion for the relaunch of the Communication Initiative. We will be in Pacifica 5 from 12-1:25 for the Refuel, Reflect, and Renew Lunch Series: The Communication Initiative: celebrating a driving force for Communication for Social Change and the way forward. We will reflect on the legacy of Warren Feek and family in creating the Communication Initiative, consider the contributions of CI over the years and then turn our attention towards the future in this dynamic session. 

If you are unable to join us in Panama, we still want to hear from you. Please contribute your thoughts by following this link: https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026 or reaching out to ci_surveys@commint.com. 

You can also follow the QR Code:

 https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026

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AIDS Legal Network (ALN)

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CONTACT PERSON: Dr Johanna Kehler PHYSICAL ADDRESS: Suite 6F, Waverley Business Park Dane Street Mowbray Cape Town South Africa, 7700 POSTAL ADDRESS: PO BOX 13834 Mowbray Cape Town South Africa, 7705 TELEPHONE: + 27 21 447 8435 FAX: +27 21 447 9946 E-MAIL:jkaln@mweb.co.za / jkehler@icon.co.zaWEB-SITE:ALN websiteThe AIDS Legal Network (ALN) is a human rights organisation committed to the promotion, protection and realisation of fundamental rights and freedoms of people living with, and affected by, HIV and AIDS.

Founded in 1994, our focus has been to respond to both the legal and ethical challenges presented by HIV and AIDS. We do this by providing human rights education and legal literacy training, by responding to rights violations and abuses through our Legal Advice Desk, and by advocating for law reform both nationally and internationally.

We strive to address discriminatory practices and attitudes, to promote behavioural change, and to facilitate a rights-based response to HIV and AIDS through a number of activities, including education and training, lobbying, networking, research, capacity building and advocacy work.

As a human rights organisation, we focus primarily on the promotion and advancement of the principles of equality, non-discrimination, human dignity, and the equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms, irrespective of a person’s sex, gender, sexual orientation and/or HIV status.

Human rights education and legal literacy training is a key objective. To this end, we offer a range of training material aimed at broadening the awareness and understanding of HIV and AIDS as a human rights issue. ALN produced resource and training materials include HIV/AIDS & Human Rights and Gender Violence & HIV and AIDS. We have also produced a series of advocacy booklets pertaining to the HIV & AID and STI National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2007 – 2011. Additionally, ALN facilitates workshop sessions (one, two or three-days) on a variety of topics, including:
  • Human Rights & HIV and AIDS
  • Gender, Gender Violence & HIV and AIDS
  • HIV-Related Stigma, Discrimination and other Violation of Rights
  • Human Rights in the Context of HIV Testing & Disclosure
  • HIV and AIDS & the Law
The ALN further engages in advocacy activities at a national, regional and global level calling for human rights to be at the centre of the AIDS response. We facilitate semi0annual provincial networking meetings aimed at raising awareness, enhancing capacity, and identifying collective advocacy strategies pertaining to various ethical and human rights challenges based on, and in the context of, HIV and AIDS.

We produce a variety of publications and resources advocating for a rights-based response to HIV and AIDS. Our advocacy material, including pamphlets, posters and other information material, aspire to inform, challenge and ultimately increase and deepen the understanding about HIV and AIDS realities and challenges.