Development action with informed and engaged societies

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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Women News Network (WNN)

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Launched in 2006, Women News Network (WNN) is a non-profit media news network dedicated to disseminating international women's news not found in the public media stream. The network includes a number of online programmes, including bimonthly in-depth featured news, a breaking news portal, an online film/video library, and an online women's radio library. The goal is to empower the voices of women internationally by educating the public, the international non-governmental organisation (NGO) community, and United Nations (UN) agencies and affiliates worldwide.
Communication Strategies

WNN draws on information and communication technology (ICT) to share news stories relevant to women and their rights - stories that may not be read or heard otherwise. The idea is that, by sharing information, activism around human rights issues related to women's experiences may be sparked and facilitated.

Specifically, a visitor to the WNN home page may find stories about issues such as the way in which caste difference contributes to violence against Dalit women in central India, and the increase in the act of self-immolation (suicide by fire) among Kurdish women in the Diaspora. Photos and video clips are included. In addition, all featured articles can be listened to rather than read, using WNN's "hear it" voice reader feature. Listening can be done while online or while one is away from the computer (articles may be downloaded to an iPod device).

WNN also features an expanding radio library covering current and historic conditions for women across the globe, as well as a film/video library featuring a growing collection of short international women's films. A selection of humanitarian publications (booklets and books) available to all women's rights advocates is offered, as well. Numerous links to relevant organisations - e.g., women's advocacy and news organisations - are offered on the WNN website to lead visitors to additional information.

Development Issues

Women, Rights.

Key Points

WNN's news outreach works closely with WUNRN - Women's UN Report Network, which reaches over 500 UN agencies and affiliates daily. Numerous featured articles have also been distributed through the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (UN-INSTRAW). Since its inception, WNN has reached over 180 country locations and 200 universities and higher learning institutions worldwide.

Sources

Email from Lys Anzia to The Communication Initiative on January 30 2008; and WNN website.

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