World Family Summit 2016 The SDGs and Early Childhood Development Lara Hussein Vice President of Family Policy, World Family Organization

The SDGs recognized that early childhood development can help drive the transformation we hope to achieve over the next 15 years and included ECD to the agenda under Goal 4 on Education – which is a development milestone This goal aims to ensure that education is accessible to all children, whether girl, boy, disabled, indigenous or living in a vulnerable situation. Education contribute to the country’s social capital and human development which eventually leads to economic growth

The debate over which factor is more influential on brain development – genes or environment – is over. Once we said nature or nurture; then nature and nurture. Now we know it is nature with nurture. The degree on interdependence is even greater than we even imagined. Genes provide the blueprint for brain development, but the environment shapes it

Brain Development Child’s Brain At Birth Child’s Brain at 6 Years Old Child’s Brain at 14 Years Old During the first year of life, neurons form new connections at an astounding rate of 700 to 1,000 per second (Shonkoff, 2009) By the age of 7 years, neuroplasticity declines to about 50% of earlier levels (Nelson, 2000) At 3 years of age, a child’s brain is twice as active as an adult’s brain (Brotherson, 2009) The brain develops at its most rapid pace in the first few years of the child’s life. In young children, neurons form new connections at the astonishing rate of 700 to 1,000 per second. These early synaptic connections form the basis of neuroplasticity, which underlies a child’s physical and mental health, lifelong capacity to learn, adapt to change, and develop psychological resilience. This scientific evidence highlights the importance of caring, good health, nutrition and stimulation for all young children.

The SDGs and ECD Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all Target 4.2 on ECD: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education ECD is included in Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all It is specifically mentioned in Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education

Examples of ECD Programs Pre-primary education (provided by the public school system or the private sector) Community based early childhood centers i.e. nurseries, daycare, KG (pre-primary education), children’s cultural clubs, … Parenting education programs Home visits

ECD However, if we reduce ECD to one area of development, we will limit the power of ECD to transform individuals and societies. We know now that it takes more than education for a child’s brain to develop – a lot more

Goal 1 on eradicating poverty. ECD has been documented to be one of the most cost-effective strategies for poverty alleviation. Early in life, when the brain has the maximum capacity to develop in the fullness of its complexity, children learn the skills that will help them flourish in a 21st century This goal also urges countries to develop and strengthen social protection systems which includes benefits to families and children – conditional transfers (bolsa familia)

Goal 8 on promoting decent work for all Adequate childcare is critical element of the decent work agenda. Investments in professionalization of the early childhood workforce contribute to full and productive employment, especially for women. This goal also aims to end child labor, starting with its hazardous forms, including recruitment and use of child soldiers – a critical addition to the global development agenda

Goal 16 on promoting peaceful societies ECD have the potential to promote healthy neurobiology, foster resilience in children and instil values and behaviours that can reduce violence and promote peace. ECD interventions have been shown to lead to lower rates of violence in the home and greater social cohesion in communities

ECD Other SDGs are also relevant to children’s lives. Actions taken to safeguard oceans and ecosystems, create sustainable cities, invest in energy and infrastructure, bolster institutions and forge partnerships will all contribute to shaping children’s lives and the world.