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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Impact Data - Radio Communication Project

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Date
Knowledge Shifts
Family Planning knowledge was higher among women exposed directly to the RCP & they knew where modern contraceptives could be found. Interviews with those who had indirect exposure to programme content had more knowledge of Family Planning issues than those who had no exposure to the RCP.
Practices
The evaluation indicated strong evidence that exposure to the RCP was associated with contraceptive use by previous non-users & the continuation of contraceptive use among prior users. Those using modern methods of contraception as a result of the programme were seen as modeling positive behaviour toward Family Planning, influencing their peers. In 1997, 38% of survey respondents reported using a modern contraceptive method with an increase to 47% in 1999. Women who recalled hearing the RCP were significantly more likely than women not exposed to the RCP to report current use of a modern contraceptive method.
Attitudes
Both direct & indirect exposure to the RCP resulted in a positive attitude toward Family Planning. Again, women who were indirectly exposed (especially those who were older & already had large families) to the programme were inclined to a more positive attitude to modern contraception than those who were not exposed in any way.
Increased Discussion of Development Issues
It has been determined that "women frequently speak to other women during the course of their daily routine about issues related to fertility & contraceptive use where they learn about others' experiences with particular contraceptives". Increased spousal communication about family planning was evident in addition to an increase in communication between peers. The number of women who had not discussed family planning with another woman in their village decreased from 37% in 1997 to 20 % in 1999.
Access
Approximately 90% of the population can speak Nepali; however, access may have been limited among minor ethnic groups depending on their level of education and exposure to life beyond their village. In 1997, 52% of women surveyed had heard at least 1 component of the RCP, which increased to 60% of respondents in 1999. Among those exposed to the RCP, 2/3 of the women at each survey period reported hearing all 4 of the radio programmes or spots.
Source
Interactions Between Mass-mediated and Interpersonal Communication and Their Effect on Contraceptive Use in Rurual Nepal: A report by Marc Boulay, JHUCCP; provided direct to The Communication Initiative.