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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Sexual Minority Rights Course (Feb 11-15 2013)

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Location

Pretoria, South Africa

The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, will host a one-week intensive short course on sexual minority rights intended for government officials, members of civil society, academics, and legal practitioners from around Africa. The course is not primarily for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons or activists, but for ‘mainstream’ non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and others who may need information, awareness raising, and capacity on issues involved.
The programme may contain the following elements:

  • conceptual clarification of the terms'gay','lesbian','bisexual','transgender' and 'intersex'(the origin of these and other related terms and their influence);
  • bio-medical data on homosexuality, and its interpretation;
  • HIV and the emergence of 'men-who-have-sex-with-men' (MSM), MSM and the LGBTI movement, risk of HIV infection to lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered and intersex persons;
  • African tradition/culture and homosexuality (the 'unAfrican' debate, anthropological perspectives on homosexuality in traditional Africa);
  • the approach to homosexuality of the major religious traditions (Christianity, Islam);
  • Public opinion on sexual minority rights: media, popular culture, and literature in Africa and sexual minority rights;
  • a typology of human rights violations of sexual minorities in African states (attempts to address them ; reasons for violations);
  • criminal law and LGBTI persons (sodomy laws, and the application of criminal law);
  • sexual minority rights under international law;
  • domestic legal provisions affecting LGBTI persons in African states (eg. criminalisation of same-sex relations);
  • strategies and best practices of litigation to vindicate the rights of sexual minorities (the role of civil society organs, media etc.);
  • current case law development in African states (Uganda, Kenya, and Malawi);
  • European Union / Council of Europe and LGBTI Rights; and
  • Other international law and sexual minorities

Click here for more information about the course.
Registration information: The course invites managers and staff of ‘mainstream’ African NGOs, postgraduate students researching in this area, government officials, and legal practitioners to apply. Applications are invited from all around the world. According to the organisers, the course will, however, have a particular African focus. Candidates from Africa are therefore particularly encouraged to apply. The course fee is ZAR 3 000.00 (US$ 450). This fee covers tuition, course materials, teas, and lunch for the duration of the course. The fee excludes transport and accommodation costs.
Click here to register online.