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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National Early Childhood Network - Brazil

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This network is made up of civil society organisations, the government, the private sector, and other networks and multilateral organisations that work to promote and defend the rights of Brazilian children from birth to six years old. Its mission is to foster the formulation and integration of national policies directed at children between zero to six years old, while validating, monitoring, and evaluating those policies. The network also consolidates and disseminates knowledge and information regarding early childhood and organises social mobilisation actions to defend and promote children's rights.

Communication Strategies

This network uses its online website for a variety of kinds of communication and support. The website includes blogs, publications, notes , memos and reflections of the Secretaria Executiva da Rede Nacional Primeira Infância, comments, and partner contact information.

 

  • The advisory group’s roles are: advocate for early childhood public policies, mobilise the network, foster debate, and define nationally articulated strategies, among other activities. The Executive Committee is in charge of the Avante Organisation - Education and Social Mobilisation, which is responsible for facilitating communication among network members and for promoting and disseminating the activities undertaken by member organisations of the advisory group.
  • The Red Nacional para la Primera Infancia (National Early Childhood Network) accepted the challenge of including children as both subjects and authors of the United Nations National Early Childhood Plan, promoting the principal that children are people and, as such, they are also citizens capable of - and with a right to - participate in things that are related to them.
  • Within the framework of the network, a publication was drafted: "Primera Infancia en Primer Lugar - Experiencias y Estrategias de Abogacía" (Early Childhood in the First Place  - Advocacy Experiences and Strategies) is a document that highlights the importance of the period from zero to six years old as a crucial life stage; the document presents the historic evolution of the recognition of this fact as well as studies, work, and actions that have been taken in the early childhood field; and it shows the principal experiences and strategies implemented in the country regarding this theme.
Development Issues

Childhood, education, health, rights.

Partners

Twelve organisations make up the advisory group of the National Early Childhood Network -  Asociación Hogar Transitorio de Christie (Christie Transitional Home Association) (Olinda/PE), Alianza por la Infancia (Alliance for Children) (São Paulo/SP), CIESPI - Centro Internacional de Estudios e Investigaciones sobre la Infancia (International Centre for the Study and Investigation of Childhood) (Rio de Janeiro/RJ), Infancia Segura (São Paulo/SP), FEWB - Federación de Escuelas Waldorf (Waldorf School Federation) (São Paulo/SP), Instituto C&A (C&A Institute) (São Paulo/SP), IFAN - Instituto de Infancia (Childhood Institute) (Fortaleza/CE), IPA Brasil - Associación Brasilera por el Derecho a Jugar (Brazilian Institute for the Right to Play) (São Paulo/SP), OMEP - Organización Mundial para la Educación Preescolar Brasil Worldwide Organisation for Preschool Education, Brazil) (Campo Grande/MS), PIM - Primera Infancia Mejor (A Better Early Childhood) (Rio Grande do Sul/RS), Plan Internacional Brasil (Plan International Brazil) (São Luíz/MA), Red de Integración de Educación Infantil Comunitaria de Rio de Janeiro (Network for the Integration of Community Childhood Education) (Rio de Janeiro/RJ), y UFMS - Fundación Universidad Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (Federal Mato Grosso do Sul University Foundation) (Campo Grande/MS).