Development action with informed and engaged societies

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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Point of View - India

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Point of View is a non-profit organisation, set up in 1996 by seven women working in the media, to further consciousness about women's issues. "Without the point of view of women, what's the point?"
Communication Strategies

1) A national photographic exhibit called "In Black & White - What has independence meant for women?". The exhibition was designed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of India's independence. Photos spanned a series of issues that affect all women -- birth, work, family, body politics, violence, displacement, myth and image, religion, sexual choices, politics.

2) An initiative to create broad awareness and understanding of the issue of women and AIDS. Advocates the need for HIV/AIDS prevention strategies and programmes to include and address the concerns of women, to empower women to better protect themselves against HIV and to better cope with issues arising from HIV infection. 3 main components: a) Producing and disseminating a series of TV ads (PSAs) that enable women to discuss safer sex more actively with their partners; b) Producing and disseminating a 30-minute video documentary that explores how HIV affects women, and what women can do to prevent or protect themselves from the adverse affects of infection; c) Conducting a series of workshops that will enable medical practitioners, NGOs, policy-makers and programmers to incorporate issues concerning women in HIV-related interventions.
Development Issues

Women, rights, economic development, HIV/AIDS, gender issues, family planning, political development, health.
Key Points

Their mission is to promote the points of view of women on all issues--from water, housing, and economic development to violence, religion and sexuality--through a creative use of media.
Sources

Letter from Madhuri Dass to The Communication Initiative.