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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HIV/AIDS, Stigma and Discrimination: An Anthropological Approach

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This 72-page publication, produced by UNESCO's Division of Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue, is the outcome of a round table organised in November 2002 at UNESCO Headquarters. This round table brought together anthropologists specialising in HIV/AIDS so that they might discuss the socio-cultural dimension of the notions of stigma and discrimination, and illustrate it concretely with case studies from several African and Asian countries.

According to organisers, "UNESCO's intention in publishing the proceedings of this round table is to associate itself with the World AIDS Campaign by providing the contributions of some distinguished researchers as tools for reflection on HIV/AIDS care and prevention and as a further testimony to the key role of culture in this as in all other spheres." These contributions include:
  • Alice Desclaux, professor of medical anthropology and doctor: "Stigmatization and Discrimination: What Does a Cultural Approach Have to Offer?"
  • Claude Raynaut, researcher at the CNRS [France's national scientific research centre] and moderator of the round table: "Introductory Remarks to the Round Table of 29 November 2002"
  • Laurent Vidal, anthropologist: "The Shortcomings of Culturalism and the Relevance of the Social Dimension in the Approach to AIDS in Africa"
  • Fatoumata Ouattara, anthropologist: "Associations of Seropositive Individuals and Management of the Risk of Stigmatization in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso)
  • Évelyne Micollier, anthropologist: "HIV/AIDS-related Stigmatization in Chinese Society: Bridging the Gap Between Official Responses and Civil Society"
In addition to a bibliography of presenters, this document features an annotated ("Indicative") bibliography detailing articles on HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination. It also includes a list of selected articles on the subject.

Click here to download the full paper in PDF format.

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Number of Pages
72