Health 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.
 
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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HIV/AIDS Component of The Media Development Project

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This component of the Media Development Project in Mozambique is intended to improve coverage about HIV/AIDS to the end of raising awareness about the disease. The programme provides training for journalists and editors.
Communication Strategies

Activities include:

  • 12-day training courses for journalists and editors on HIV/AIDS reporting;
  • development, distribution, and use of a one-day HIV/AIDS training package to be included in training courses for journalists and editors;
  • bi-monthly HIV/AIDS four-page briefing notes sent to all Mozambican media, including community media, to facilitate effective and accurate coverage;
  • conferences for editors to ensure that these important gate-keepers are informed and supportive of journalists' efforts to actively and effectively cover the pandemic;
  • special training-cum-production processes with selected communities to help develop participatory and community-based programmes on HIV/AIDS; and
  • annual national seminars for journalists working in HIV/AIDS.
Development Issues

HIV/AIDS

Key Points

According to recent statistics, AIDS is becoming the primary cause of death in Africa. It is estimated that, in Mozambique alone, between 600 and 700 persons are infected daily. Last year the Governor of Manica Province called a press conference to announce that the central provincial hospital of Chimoio was filled with primarily AIDS patients, which meant that the hospital was unable to admit ill people with curable diseases. Decision makers, health personnel, and development workers are becoming aware of the gravity of the situation in Mozambique. In 1999, Parliament developed and adopted a National Strategic Plan; a National AIDS Council (NAC, or 'Conselho Nacional de Combate ao SIDA: CNCS') is the coordinating body responsible for the implementation and continuous updating of that plan. Similarly, each sector in the Mozambican society is developing methodologies and activities to fulfill its responsibility to respond to the situation. The UN has developed a strategy for putting HIV/AIDS prevention on the agenda of all its programmes, projects, and activities.

The UNESCO/UNDP Media Development Project was initiated in 1998 to work to strengthen democracy and governance through development of the media in Mozambique.