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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Male involvement

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Joan, I am on the same page with you [in Kenya - Male engagement in Promoting Empowerment of Women Workers]. Social dominance of men over women dates back to antiquity. In some ethnic groups in Ghana where I live, it seems quite impossible for women to have a say in anything concerning their own health and development. I suggest, and as informed by principles of social change, that addressing the challenges of women empowerment should be expected to be gradual and over a long period of time. There are several evidence in some communities, mostly in developed countries where gender equality is making strides. As you rightly said, involving men, the men who have power is a necessary step to empowering the less powerful, the women. The good news in my work is that, at least we have a starting point; Men who are more educated are our number one stakeholders. They are more likely to support the course. I am looking forward to learning more about what you have to tell the audience soon. Good work done and I wish you all the best.

Summit: What Works? Shifting Norms, Changing Behaviours, Amplifying Voice