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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Assessing the Vietnam Situation: HIV/AIDS Communication in Context

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Summary

This literature review provides an overview of HIV/AIDS in Vietnam and represents the first part of a three-year research project. This review was conducted from December 2001 to April 2002.


According to this report, South-South East Asia contributes 15 of the 40 million people identified with HIV throughout the world. In Vietnam young people account for more than 50% of the HIV cases. The Vietnam government is targeting them as a top priority group in the HIV/AIDS prevention and control programme.


These are the objectives of the report:

  • The development of HIV/AIDS in Vietnam including features unique to Vietnam.
  • The meanings (stigma, fear and denial) attached to HIV/AIDS.
  • Sexual practices and the inherent gender roles and relations of target audiences.
  • Local institutional capacity to tackle the HIV/AIDS (with particular focus on the health and educational systems).
  • National policies and communication practices informing and guiding HIV/AIDS prevention.
  • A possible HIV/AIDS communication strategy.


Findings are broken into four parts:


Part 1. HIV/AIDS Epidemic In Vietnam including: HIV/AIDS development, HIV/AIDS divided by gender and age, transmission modes and meaning of HIV/AIDS to the community (stigma, denial, acceptance)


Part 2: Sexual Practice and HIV/AIDS Knowledge of Adolescents and Young Adults


Part 3: Institutional Capacity in Fighting HIV/AIDS


Part 4: The National Policies and Communication Practices Informing and Guiding HIV/AIDS Prevent in the Chosen Countries


The report ends with a number of recommendations. Research indicates that HIV/AIDS in Vietnam is still in an early stage and will develop quickly if more effective measures are not taken.


Click here to access this report in PDF format.

Source

Consultation of Investment in Health Promotion.