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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Building Digital Opportunities (BDO) Initiatives - Africa

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Building Digital Opportunities (BDO) is an initiative by the UK Department for International Development (DfID) and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department for International Development Cooperation (DGIS), which is a package of cross-sectoral initiatives to address key barriers and opportunities for ICTs in achieving development targets. A minimum of UK £8,000,000 has been allocated in the period 2001-2004 to four programme areas - the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation's work on policy-making and regulation; work by the International Institute for Communications and Development on national sectoral ICT strategies; work on community radio by the international grouping AMARC; and work on information resources by the Panos Institute and the development portal by OneWorld Online.
Communication Strategies

Through web-based activities there are knowledge management and information sharing projects, training programmes as well as workshops on key themes that are being addressed by the BDO initiative which are being undertaken by each partner.

Development Issues

Technology.

Key Points

The programme's five key areas of activity are:

  • Strengthening local capacity in developing countries to address policy and regulatory environments.
  • Supporting a programme of demand led pilot projects, implemented as part of an ongoing series of stakeholder ICT roundtable processes in selected developing countries.
  • Supporting information inclusion for the poor through activities on community media and linking old and new ICTs.
  • A strategic partnership with a global 'development' Internet partner.
  • Knowledge and research activities in key areas to support the programme.
Partners

The programme has been put together as a partnership involving several participating organisations. They are: Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation , International Institute for Communication and Development, One World International, Panos, World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, DFID, and DGIS.

Sources

IConnect website