Child rights 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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defeatDD.org

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"Even though we have the knowledge and solutions in hand to defeat diarrheal disease, the issue can be a difficult, even taboo subject to discuss. That’s why we need to break the barriers and increase awareness."

This web-based initiative aims to provide tools to inform and inspire advocates committed to joining their voices and raising awareness about diarrhoeal disease. The website also provides key documents and links to information on simple, lifesaving interventions that PATH believes have the potential to significantly impact diarrhoea incidence worldwide.

Communication Strategies

defeatDD.org provides information for policymakers, advocates, programme staff, and anyone interested in learning more about the global burden of diarrhoeal disease and what we can do to change the landscape. There is a multimedia section, a toolkit for advocates, country success stories, data and reports, and a blog.

 

deafeatDD.org strongly pursues the strategy of providing "take action" ideas to spark advocacy efforts. Since its launch in May 2009, defeatDD.org's Call to Action against diarrhoeal disease has received support from the health, water and sanitation, and environmental sectors, with more than 100 organisations signing on. Individuals are also invited to add their voice to urge donors, international health policymakers, national leaders, and the private sector to commit resources and political will to reduce deaths and illness from diarrhoeal disease.

 

defeatDD.org places a strong emphasis on the use of social media. In order to open conversation and inspire action on the topic of diarrhoea, defeatDD.org has held a "poo haiku" contest in which "poo-ets" were invited to tweet creative poetry ("poo-etry) about the issue of diahorrea - one winning entry called attention to the importance of oral rehydration salt (ORS) in preventing the disease. deafeatDD.org also has a presence on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Development Issues

Children, Health.

Key Points

"By joining our voices, we can increase awareness and action against a fatal, but often overlooked, threat to the world's children." According to PATH, diarrhoeal disease is the second-leading cause of death among kids under five, responsible for 1.3 million child deaths annually. Every day, nearly 4,000 children die of diarrhoea. Yet, PATH says, it does not have to be this way. PATH advocates for integrated prevention and treatment solutions: child health, water and sanitation, nutrition, vaccines, zinc, and rehydration.

Sources

defeatDD website, May 25 2012.