The Communication Initiative

[Carol Larivee]

This note from CAROL LARIVEE refers to the draft Policy paper derived from the comments in this forum to date. You can see the draft at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636
To share your comments on this draft please email

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Hi Warren,
I apologize for these late comments as you pull the document together. While I completely agree that local voices, dialogue, discussion and action is critical, I think it is also important that local discussions take place within a broader communication strategy that is evidence based and grounded in the key issues of the local epidemic. I think we need to collectively think through how we can support national initiatives to develop communication strategies that allows for local initiative and action around a common framework. Mixed messages and conflicting message abound HIV programming.

A number of countries are now pulling together national communication strategies, but the ability to implement these strategies is lacking both in technical and financial resources. Most larger scale communication efforts are funded from external donors with external technical support. It is critical that as a global community we work with countries to develop a critical mass of skilled communication practitioners who can move from the data to innovate communication programs for behavior and social change at scale. If we go to any MOH, we will find an underfunded and understaffed team at the Health Promotion Units who most of their budget and efforts on WADs in the same fashion used for the other health days, resources usually not have any impact on health indicators. Resources for communication are usually in the hands of the technical program manager for HIV or TB. A major target population for our advocacy efforts needs to be those program managers, usually clinically trained, who do not see the "evidence" to support putting resources into comprehensive communication programs.

So I would like to see added a section on capacity building, comprehensive communication strategies that can form a framework for concerted local efforts and a discussion on targeting technical program managers for our advocacy efforts.

Warren many thanks for taking the lead on this. I look forward to seeing you in Mexico.

All the best,

Carol Larivee



Deputy Director
C-Change
Academy for Educational Development
1875 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20009

Phone 202 884 8662
FAX 202 884 8792


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