The Communication Initiative

Development action with informed and engaged societies

Legacy Partners

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:

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Published 24 years ago

Last updated 1 year ago

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Family Planning - Egypt

Mon, 07/16/2001 - 00:00

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A mass multimedia programme in Egypt which targeted young married women on family planning issues. Objectives were to increase family planning and its acceptability. Process focused on religious basis, increasing communication between spouses, promoting male responsibility, reducing early marriage, and providing accurate information about contraceptives.

Communication Strategies

17 x 50 minute episodes of a television drama, innovative "wedding of the month" contest where couple received money if they could correctly answer family planning questions, 41 television spots, average of 21 program inserts per quarter on the main channel, repeats on regional channels, Egyptian music videos, short video dramas, 26 radio soap operas (~30 episodes each), 42 radio plays and dramas, over 114 radio program inserts.

Development Issues

Family planning, gender equality

Key Points

Television was viewed as a unique method in Egypt for mass communication, as many factors influenced the project. These factors included full religious and political support and an initiative for innovative programmes. Dramatic and humorous television programmes were used to entertain and the educate.

Partners

State Information Service/Information, Education and Communication Centre (SIS/IEC Centre), The Johns Hopkins University/Population Communication Services, The Agency for Educational Development, Egyptian State Television.The Use of Mainstream Media to Encourage Social Responsibility: The International Experience - Inventory of Projects. Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation by Advocates for Youth, pages 41-43.

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