Children
Child rights action with informed and engaged societies
Children

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

Time to read
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Read so far

East and Southern Africa Consultation - Global Mechanism

0 comments

To: The Communication Initiative Partners

From: Warren

Best wishes. As part of the consultation process for the possible Global Mechansim discussion, Rafael and myself and holding a series of regional consultations through teleconferences. The first of these will be Thursday, March 9th at 4:30 pm Nairobi time for people and organisations in East and Southern Africa. If this is appropriate for you and you wish to participate please let me know. I will provide the call-in information. Also please share this within your networks and ask those interested to please email me should they wish to participate. Below is the note sent today to an initial list of people identified by UNICEF. I will also let you know about future consultations. Thanks - much appreciated and apologies for the rush - Warren 

CONSULTATION NOTE

Many best wishes and thanks for considering participation in a conference call on Thursday, March 9th at 4:30 pm Nairobi time as part of the consultation considering a global mechanism for the communication for development community. Huge thanks to Deepa and Mandi (UNICEF ESARO) for the work to set this up. Really appreciated. Rafael (Chief, Communication for Development, UNICEF NY) and myself are very grateful for you spending some of your valuable time to share your assessment, analysis and ideas on this possible development.</p>

This initial note provides the call-in numbers, a link to the background documentation and some of the previous discussions, the group that we are asking you to join please and a quick survey through which we are also gathering a collection of ideas and perspectives on the context and priorities to help orient this development. 

There is a brief orientation to this initiative at this link. It provides the background and purpose for the process.
 
The key questions we wish to ask are:    

  • What priority goals and themes would you propose as the focus of such a possible mechanism?
  • What strategic approach should such a possible mechanism take to work towards those goals?
  • How would you recommend that such a mechanism be structured and organised?

Can we please encourage you to complete also this brief survey at this link. This will also be very helpful.

We will soon be resuming the online dialogue related to this mechanism initiative. It would be great if you could join that group if you are not already a member. This will join up the various consultations that are taking place.

Thanks again - very much look forward to learning of your insights and perspectives from your context and experience on Thursday, March 9th at 4:30 pm Nairobi time. Please do reply by email with any questions or issues that you wish to share.

Best wishes

Warren and on behalf of Rafael

Warren Feek
Executive Director
http://www.comminit.com/africa/category/sites/africa
Phone - 1–250-658-6372
Cell - 1–250-588-8795
wfeek@comminit.com

***