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.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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STD Prevention Online (STDPO)

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This is a free, interactive web-based application that aims to enhance communications between people who work in sexually transmitted disease (STD)/HIV prevention research, policy, and programming, with the ultimate goal of fostering the implementation of state-of-the art prevention interventions and helping stop the transmission/acquisition of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. STD Prevention Online (STDPO) is a project of the United-States-based Internet & STD Center of Excellence, a research effort working to explore, identify, implement, and evaluate innovative technologies and applications that show promise in addressing public health issues, such as STIs. Organisers hope to address patients, clinicians, epidemiologists, public health workers, researchers, and/or other interested parties.
Communication Strategies

This initiative uses technology to put reproductive health professionals in touch with the people and resources they need to do their work. Sharing of information (in English and Spanish) is a key part of the strategy; for instance, STD news and resources are updated and streamed online on a regular basis. Recent STD information, upcoming events, and job postings are available here. In addition, the platform involves an interactive component. For example, a discussion section features various blogs such as one oriented around the news report that a Syphilis spike has been linked to social websites. A "groups" section of the site links together those belonging to professional groups, such as the Gonorrhea Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP). Those who create a free account/profile and log in may rate any of the resources uploaded to the website. A top-5 list of downloaded resources is offered, which - as of this writing - includes "National Guidelines for Internet-Based STD and HIV Prevention", amongst others.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS, Reproductive Health.

Partners

The Center is sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and carried out by the Denver [Colorado] Department of Public Health.

Sources

Email from Rachel Kachur to The Communication Initiative on November 6 2007; and STD Prevention Online website.