Social norms 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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Using Dialogue to Build Strong Alliances for Effective Sharing of Information Between Organisations

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This is a project that uses the tactic of dialogue to build strong alliances among organisations that share information and collaborate in the Great Lakes Region that is deeply affected by civil conflict.
Communication Strategies
The Ligue des Droits de la Personne dans la Region des Grands Lacs (LDGL) uses the methods of dialogue in building and maintaining confidence from different organisations to monitor human rights abuses within the East African region and disseminate information quickly.

"The League acts as an umbrella group, gathering together 22 members from different countries (Burundi, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo). The Great Lakes region has long suffered from violence cased by ideological and ethnic mistrust or hatred. Some organisations in the region, including human rights groups, reflect these divisions, taking actions on behalf of narrow, ethnically based constituencies."

"When divisions within the LDGL emerge, leaders of the group try to understand the underlying problems creating the dispute. When an understanding of this has been gained, the LDGL maps out potential allies, and identifies the approach to dialogue that has the most potential for expanding support and maintaining productive relationships. The basis for dialogue includes the principles of Ubuntu (humanness), as a basis for a positive way of interacting and working together with people from different backgrounds and cultures. As a result, thoughtful consideration is given to creating an atmosphere of trust. LDGL selects individuals who can most effectively carry the message of trust and collaboration. The group very carefully chooses the language, both verbal and non-verbal, of its message. This language must build credibility and trust, so that all alliance members feel assured that they are respected, and their concerns will be addressed."
Development Issues
Conflict
Key Points
By using methods of dialogue, the League hopes to build and maintain confidence from different organisations to monitor human rights abuses within the region and disseminate information quickly.

"Human rights progress depends on productive alliances. The dialogue methodology helps avoid polarisation and the fractioning of alliances. It builds mutual understanding of commonalities and differences, enabling the most efficient and effective joint action."
Partners

LDGL

Sources

New Tactics website on February 18, 2004