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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Champions for an HIV-Free Generation

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Champions for an HIV-Free Generation is an organisation of renowned African leaders and outspoken advocates led by former Botswana President Festus Mogae. Launched at the 2008 International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, Mexico, the organisation focuses on the promotion of key policy, legal, cultural, and behavioural practices and messages designed to accelerate the social outcomes needed to achieve an HIV-free generation.
Communication Strategies

This organisation was formed based on the realisation that stronger leadership from prominent individuals around HIV issues was needed within Africa. The initiative aims to open a dialogue with governments and to encourage them to implement more action and public education campaigns. Through discussions with government and civil society, the organisation helps share regional experiences in fighting HIV/AIDS and urges the scale-up of effective prevention strategies.

The group of champions includes: Joaquim Chissano, former President of Mozambique; Benjamin Mkapa, former President of Tanzania; Kenneth Kaunda, former President of Zambia; Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Ethiopian supermodel Liya Kebede; South African Supreme Court of Appeal Justice Edwin Cameron; and Professor Miriam Were, Chair of the Kenyan National AIDS Control Council.

One of the issues Champions focuses on is multiple and concurrent partnerships (MCP). The organisation emphasises the importance of developing a nationwide campaign to reduce MCP and demonstrating strong leadership and engaging prominent persons as role models. MCP is common in Southern Africa and leads to close sexual networks that increase the chances HIV transmission among the people within the network.

Other key points of focus include scaling up male circumcision programmes, social transformation of gender roles and relations, and sustainable funding for HIV/AIDS initiatives. The organisation is assisted by a small secretariat based in Gabarone, Botswana.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS

Key Points

Reuters reports that during Mogae's 10 years as president, Botswana reduced mother-to-child HIV transmission from 40% to 4%. In addition, of the 300,000 people in the country living with HIV/AIDS, about 100,000 are receiving antiretrovirals. The United Nations notes that, despite government education campaigns in the country, misconceptions about the disease remain. Nearly one-third of people surveyed in 2004 said they thought HIV can be acquired through supernatural means, and more than half said it can be transmitted through mosquitoes.

Partners

World Bank; Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS); World Health Organization (WHO); the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Sources

UNAIDS website and Kaisernetwork website - both accessed on March 10 2009.

Teaser Image
http://www.unaids.org/Resources/FeatureStories/2009/02/20090212_champion3_200.jpg