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Media development action with informed and engaged societies
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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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Enhancing Behavior Change Communication - Africa

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This is a project that uses communication to address family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) issues in sub-Saharan Africa. Project organisers believe that in the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, FP/RH requires a significant expansion of education and services throughout the region.

They say new strategies linking reproductive health and HIV/AIDS interventions in prevention, care, and support must also be developed. The project aims to connect more women, men, and adolescents with FP/RH services in East, West, and Southern Africa.
Communication Strategies
The project uses a holistic approach to strengthen family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH) services and to develop culturally relevant behavior change approaches. These approaches address the needs of various population segments and contribute to the achievement of FP/RH programme objectives.

"We focus on enhancing effectiveness at the programme level to increase the impact and scale of service delivery programmes. Our approach places greater emphasis on strategies that can mainstream underserved populations, such as adolescents, low-parity women, postpartum women, men, and illiterate and impoverished women and men."

The programme provides technical leadership to improve both clinical and nonclinical services, including:
  • Addressing the needs of youth
  • Empowering women
  • Involving men in FP/RH decisions
  • Utilizing behavior change communication
  • Developing private/commercial sector initiatives
  • Forming links and partnerships with FP/RH and other developmental organisations (internationally, in-country, and in the United States)
Development Issues
Family Planning and Reproductive Health
Key Points
The project aims to work with various partners to increase the awareness and impact of FP/RH on the health and well being of families. It also aims to encourage the integration of FP/RH and HIV/AIDS interventions to provide a comprehensive approach to reproductive health.
Partners

Advance Africa, USAID Missions, USAID/Washington

Sources

Advance Africa website on October 30, 2003