Investing in nurturing care, particularly in the most impoverished and fragile countries, is an urgent priority, as the early years of a child’s life offer invaluable opportunities to enhance lifelong health, nutrition, and well-being. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF emphasize this need in their recent progress report.
PROTECTING DEVELOPMENT
The framework for protecting development advocates for an integrated approach to early childhood development, encompassing nutrition, health, safety, security, early learning, and responsive care giving as crucial areas for interventions.
“Early childhood development provides a critical window to improve health and well-being across life with impacts that resonate even into the next generation,” said Dr. Anshu Banerjee, Director of Maternal, New born, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at WHO.
“While this report shows encouraging progress, greater investment is needed in these foundational early years so that children everywhere have the best possible start for a healthy life ahead.”
A child’s early experiences profoundly affect their overall health and development. It influences their physical health, growth, learning abilities, behaviour, and ultimately shaping their social relationships, well-being, and earnings in adulthood.
WHO notes that the period from pregnancy to age three is when the brain undergoes rapid development, with over 80 percent of neural development occurring during this crucial phase.
EXPANDING COMMITMENT
The report highlights that governments have made overall efforts to enhance early childhood development since the framework’s launch five years ago. Nearly 50 percent more countries have formulated related policies or plans, and services have expanded. In a recent rapid survey, over 80 percent of participating countries reported training frontline workers to support families in facilitating early learning activities and responsive care giving.
CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS
Increased investments are needed to scale up services and demonstrate impact, especially among vulnerable populations. The report emphasizes the importance of providing adequate support for children with developmental difficulties and addressing the psychosocial well-being of caregivers.
“To improve the health of children, we must not only focus on meeting their immediate physical needs, but also ensure they are able to learn effectively, and develop positive, emotionally rewarding relations with people around them,” said Dr. Bernadette Daelmans, Head of Child Health and Development at WHO.
Cohesive efforts are needed with dedicated financing, across a range of different sectors, the report notes, including health, education, sanitation, and protection services.
Family-friendly policies supporting equitable access to affordable, high-quality childcare are also important.