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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Proyecto "Fortalecimiento de la institucionalidad y la perspectiva de género en el MERCOSUR" - Project "Strengthening MERCOSUR's Institutionality and Gender Perspective"

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This project on strengthening gender perspective within the institution MERCOSUR serves to implement regional actions in three main areas:

  • The incorporation of gender in the MERCOSUR parliament and the promotion of women’s political participation;
  • Prevention, attention to, and eradication of the trafficking of women; and
  • Creation of a system of comparable indicators regarding gender-based domestic violence.

Implementation of the project began in 2008 following the MERCOSUR Specialised Meeting on Women (REM in Spanish), a regional organism with the objective of analysing the situation of women related to equal opportunity, while keeping current MERCOSUR legislation in mind. REM receives support from the Spanish International Agency for Cooperation for Development (AECID). MERCOSUR is an institution formed to implement an economic and political agreement among Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, with a later addition of Venezuela.

Communication Strategies

In Uruguay, meetings have been held to raise awareness with the Ministry of Foreign Relations (MREE in Spanish). During these meetings, directors and sub-directors have been able to work on the need and importance of progressing institutionally with a gender perspective, considering measures that will help formulate a concrete gender equity policy.

 

In Argentina, a broadcasting tool was designed to raise awareness among functionaries and technocrats. An interactive DVD is available that contains all the information about national and international laws and regulations pertaining to gender. This material is given to all current State Department personnel, as well as new personnel each year. With support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), more than 3,000 copies were produced. Action will also support building a gender agenda for MERCOSUR, including a map of the current situation.

 

According to the preliminary project report dated November 2011, political participation outcomes in the MERCOSUR Parliament have amplified, therefore modifying part of the strategy of "promoting women’s political participation in MERCOSUR with an emphasis on national and regional parliamentarians." This outcome entails undertaking several activities: a regional, strategic assessment on women’s political participation; regional actions tending towards women’s political participation including a regional gathering; and a concrete campaign on women’s political participation. This is documented in the "Resolucion del Consejo del Mercado Común el MERCOSUR No. 24/2011", created by RMAAM, as an official document of MERCOSUR.

 

Through this project, a public audiovisual contest was launched on Women’s Political Participation. The main slogan is: "Parity is Equality."

Development Issues

Gender, Women, Democracy and Governance.

Key Points

The project has worked toward making it possible to compare gender-based domestic violence indicators (VDBG) regionally and towards a draft proposal for a protocol to combat mistreatment of women.

For more information in Spanish, click here.

Partners

AECID, UNFPA

Sources

REM website, June 1 2012, and email from Natalia Guidobono to the Communication Initiative on August 13 2012. Image credit: REM website.