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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Together for Girls

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Launched at the 2009 annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), Together for Girls is a partnership designed to end sexual violence against girls worldwide. The partnership unites major international organisations to find, test, and implement prevention and protection strategies that address this violation of rights.

Communication Strategies

The partnership has been working in countries to inform and implement a coordinated approach to policy and programmes for ending sexual violence against girls. The initiative has 3 critical categories: conducting national surveys, using these new data to base country-specific interventions tailored to address sexual violence, and launching public awareness campaigns to motivate changes in social norms and behaviours.

For example, in Swaziland, interventions to prevent and respond to sexual violence against girls are ongoing by the government and civil society partners, and in Tanzania, a comprehensive national survey was completed in 2009 to estimate the magnitude and impact of sexual violence against children.

Development Issues

Girls, Rights.

Key Points

According to organisers, sexual violence against girls affects over 150 million girls worldwide. Rape and sexual exploitation of girls contribute to HIV transmission, and young girls in particular are at increased biological risk of contracting HIV. In many places, schools are unsafe for girls, undermining their opportunity to receive an education. Protection and education of girls is a contributing factor to overall economic growth in developing countries. Ending sexual violence will allow girls worldwide to live safer and healthier lives and fulfill their rights to freedom from violence, exploitation and abuse. Ending sexual violence against girls is central to achieving justice and prosperity.

Partners

U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. State Department's Office of Global Women's Issues, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, the CDC Foundation, the Nduna Foundation, BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), and Grupo ABC of Brazil.

CGI convenes global leaders through annual meetings held since 2005. The CGI community also includes CGI University (CGI U), MyCommitment.org, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young leaders from business, government, and civil society.

Sources

Disabled World website; U.S. Department of State website - both accessed on March 7 2011.