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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Parivartan

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Parivartan aspired to reduce gender-based violence by challenging boys' notions about manhood and women's roles in society through India's popular sport of cricket. The programme was based on Coaching Boys Into Men (CBIM), an initiative of the United States (US)-based Futures Without Violence (formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund) that engages coaches as positive role models and trains them to deliver messages to their male athletes about the importance of respecting women and understanding that violence never equals strength. Based on lessons from implementation of CBIM in the US, the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) developed and piloted an India-specific, cricket-based adaptation of the programme: "Parivartan", which means transformation. The Mumbai-based programme engaged cricket coaches and mentors in schools and the community to:

  • raise awareness about abusive and disrespectful behaviour;
  • promote gender-equitable, non-violent attitudes; and
  • teach skills to speak up and intervene when witnessing harmful and disrespectful behaviours.
Communication Strategies

Unfolding over 3 years (2009-2012) among boys ages 10 to 16, Parivartan capitalised on cricket coaches' role in the young athletes' lives to impart the programme's key messages. It required the coaches, too, to shift their own ideas about expectations of men and women in society.

 

Using a training of trainer approach, the Parivartan team trained 26 school coaches and 16 community mentors to use a kit consisting of a card series, a reference handbook, and a diary. The cards were translated in Hindi and Marathi and included discussion topics such as: respect, responsibility, insulting language, disrespectful and harmful behaviour towards women and girls, aggression and violence, and relationship abuse. The card series consisted of: 4 preparatory cards (before implementation); 12 training session cards (during implementation); teachable moment cards (during implementation); and 3 overtime cards (following implementation).

 

A series of planned group sessions facilitated by the coaches/mentors formed the basis of the intervention for the athletes. These sessions followed the sequence of the card series and involved group discussions, games, and films. Coaches also used additional material such as posters, brochures, pamphlets, and postcards while conducting the sessions on a weekly basis, where they engaged the athletes in conversation on topics related to respect, ethics, gender norms, gender-based violence, and more. The coaches' facilitation of these sessions with the athletes was supported by partner agencies and the Coaches Leadership Council.

Development Issues

Gender

Key Points

According to ICRW, in India, the impact of deep-rooted gender norms can play out in a variety of ways: Some men feel they have the right to physically or verbally abuse their wives. Others believe they're entitled to dictate what their wives or girlfriends wear or how long their hair is. Brothers feel only their sisters must handle household chores. Sexually harassing women on the street, in trains, at the market, is seen as an acceptable boys' sport. In many cases, respecting women means controlling them.

 

Research published in May 2012 [see Related Summaries, below] found that attitudes about gender equity and violence against women shifted for the better among the young cricketers. The coaches' mindset and behavior also evolved positively.

Partners

ICRW, Apnalaya, Breakthrough, and Mumbai School Sports Association.

Sources

ICRW website, August 8 2012; and "Engaging Coaches and Athletes in Fostering Gender Equity: Findings from the Parivartan Program in Mumbai, India" [PDF]. Image credit: David Snyder for ICRW