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. 

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Priorities sub-Working Group- Alliance

3 comments

This is the space for deliberations about the immediate, short and long-term priorities for the global Alliance.

Comments

Submitted by Ketan Chitnis on Thu, 10/26/2017 - 07:48 Permalink

Based on the discussions during the June 2017 meeting and the draft implementation plan, following priorities could be considered.

1. Core sectretariat composition & operatational budget and related funding proposal

2. Alliance membership/outreach to networks/individuals to join the alliance

3. Core product such as an advocacy paper

4. Official launch of the alliance/network

Submitted by Warren Feek on Thu, 10/26/2017 - 17:40 Permalink

Antje, James, Susan, Sue, Kama or Hope - Hi - some of the the Reasonable Priorities sub-group met this morning (Susan, Rafael, Ketan and Warren). Unfortunately some who had previously confirmed could no longer attend. This is a quick review of the discussion. We would welcome your comments and contributions. Please do submit a comment below. I will also seek to contact you for a phone conversation as this is an important element of the development of the Global Alliance.

NOTES - Realistic Priorites sub-group meeting - October 26th

1. Participants were asked to outline their initial suggestions for priorities over the initial 12 months of the Global Alliance. Some of the proposed areas included:

- landscaping current major development initiatives and opportunities (eg major meetings and papers) - who is doing what where and when;

- placing the emphasis on understanding what the evidence is and in what space it is appearing;

- the High Level Political forum;

- planned UNICEF work to develop a think-tank on the state of this field of work;

- building on the WHO work on standards;

- identifying who else is working on the standards issue and agreeing the best processes to implement;

- focus on the key organisational elements for the Alliance;

- a focus on the best impact data - landscaping the evidence. 

external -

2. Following discussion of these each of the participants in the meeting were asked to identify their top priorities for the Global Alliance for the initial 12 months. As an overall principle all participants thought it important that there were specific and tangible tasks and issues on which the Global Alliance could “chew”.

There was some overlap so only 3 priorities for the Global Alliance over the next 12 months were identified. These would take place in parallel. They are not sequential. 

 
A. Build the infrastructure of the Global Alliance - terms of reference, complete participation criteria, convene initial meetings, communicate the initiation of the Alliance, and all of the other foundations required for the successful commencement of the Alliance.

B. Commence the work related to best impact data - landscaping the most compelling evidence and its strategic implications

C. Focus on one major advocacy initiative for this field of work - there was strong, unanimous support in the meeting for that work to be focused on the next meeting of the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) as the theme for their July 2018 meeting is "Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies".        

 
For everyone’s review and comment.

Best - Warren

Submitted by Patrick Cook on Thu, 11/09/2017 - 11:00 Permalink

Hi all, I'm catching up on my Alliance threads! I too agree with these priorities. Three seems the right amount, and these seem the right three. best, patrick