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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Theory-based HIV/STD Intervention - Approx. 50% Reduction in Unprotected Intercourse

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Strategy researched

A theory-based HIV/sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk-reduction intervention delivered in schools that involved facilitated sessions seeking to increase knowledge about HIV/STDs, enhance behavioural beliefs that support abstinence and condom use, and increase skills and self-efficacy to negotiate abstinence and condom use - as well as to encourage caregiver involvement

Impact achieved

Participants were 49% less likely to have unprotected vaginal intercourse and 38% less likely to have vaginal intercourse compared to students who were a part of the standard health promotion programme. Participants were also 50% less likely to have vaginal intercourse with multiple partners.

Country of study

South Africa

Research methodology

Cluster RCT

Journal

Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; 2010

Journal paper title and link

School-Based Randomized Controlled Trial of an HIV/STD Risk-Reduction Intervention for South African Adolescents

Excerpt from Abstract

"This is the first large-scale, community-level, randomized intervention trial to show significant effects on the HIV/STD sexual risk behavior of South African adolescents in the earliest stages of entry into sexual activity."