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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Immunization Service Experience and the Importance of Caregiver and Health Worker Journeys for Changing Immunization Program Dynamics

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Abstract summarising a Preformed Panel Session at the 2022 International SBCC Summit in Morocco (see Related Summaries below for presentations that formed part of this panel):

"Immunization services have historically focused on supply and delivery, with insufficient attention on the sociobehavioral factors that impact confidence in, uptake, and demand for vaccination. More recently, immunization inequities have highlighted the critical role of demand generation and the need for people-centered models for vaccination that enhance service access, quality and accountability. The common element between these two components is the immunization service experience. Frameworks are needed that consider and respond to both health worker and client needs on immunization service delivery, and that emphasize the importance of community engagement to nurture positive social norms around vaccination. Centering the health worker, client, and community in immunization service delivery closely aligns with the focus on people-centered commitment and demand emphasized in the Immunization Agenda 2030, and with the Gavi demand framework pillar on Service Quality and Accountability. Since 2019, the Service Experience Workstream of the Global Vaccination Demand Hub has sought a common and detailed understanding of people-centered service experience for immunization. In this preformed panel, presenters will introduce the concept and key components of immunization service experience; share real-life examples of caregiver and health worker journeys to immunization via a multimedia platform; and explore how the health system, health worker, and caregiver contribute to people-centered immunization services. Participants will explore ways to address issues around individual components of the immunization service experience and how to reorient systems and services to build and sustain demand for immunization."

Source

Approved abstract for the 2022 SBCC Summit in Marrakech, Morocco. From SBCC Summit documentation. Image credit: JSI