Early Childhood Development in Lebanon: Towards a National Strategy May A. Ajram Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Background ECCD portfolio in Lebanon is taken care of by different community actors, ministries (health and Education), NGOs and the Higher Council for Childhood (HCC) under the Ministry of Social Affairs. Although there are a lot of initiatives in the country, they are not contextualized nor integrated under a proper framework. There is a big need to scale up some important success stories and launch a series of workshops that can provide us with baseline data and indicators. As Global Leaders, ECCD situation requires that we raise up high the advocacy on the ECCD issues with a champion in order to make the ECCD on the national agenda. Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Objective The goal we want to achieve is to push the ECCD forefront on the table of priority issues in the national policies of Lebanon for the importance it has on all the other sectors in the country. Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Outputs 6 preparatory meetings 6meetings with committees National workshop 6 Review and feedback meetings Report: The Early Childhood Development, towards a National Strategy Draft Framework of National ECD strategy: Completed and finalized Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Planning meetings Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Initial steps Identify partners (Governmental Involvement) Identify national champion Form the core committee (Global Leaders, HCC) Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Core Committee Meeting Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Pillars of action ECCD Strategy Framework Raise advocacy on ECCD Network with key players Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Implementation phases Assist in drafting the framework for the ECD Strategy Consult with all committees of the HCC: Prepare and write the first draft Convene a National workshop Include all comments and recommendations and prepare second draft ECCD committee for validation Core committee to finalize Identify, meet and sympathize a champion Launching in press conference Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Action plan Setting the groundPersons InvolvedDate 1 MeetingMay, Abeer, Elie, MariamJuly 9 th, Thursday, MeetingMay and AbeerAugust 6 th, Thursday, MeetingMay, Abeer, Elie, MariamSeptember 11 th, Friday, MeetingMay, Abeer, Elie, MariamOctober 13 th, Tuesday, MeetingMay and RanaOctober 19 th, Monday, MeetingMay, Rana and ElieNovember 7 th, Saturday, 2009 Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Action Plan Cont’d Focus GroupsPersons InvolvedDate 7 Special Needs Committee Rana and Committee membersNovember 24 th, Tuesday, Education CommitteeRana and Committee members November 25 th, Wednesday Culture and Media Committee Rana, May, Abeer and committee members December 10 th, Thursday, Health Committee Rana, May and committee members December 14 th, Monday, Core committee meetingGL-HCC-Rana and MaysounJanuary 5 th, Tuesday, Committee ProtectionRana, May, Mariam, and ElieJanuary 12 th, Tuesday, Committee LegislativeRana, May, Mariam, and ElieJanuary 27 th, Wednesday 2010 Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Protection Committee Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Action Plan Cont’d National WorkshopPersons InvolvedDate 14 invitation letterMay January 27 th, Wednesday, Report writingRana February 8 th, Monday Read and reflectCore committee February 12 th, Friday Finalizing agenda, objectives and participants Core committee February 17 th, Wednesday, Sending Invitation and assuring participation Mariam, May and Abeer February 18 th, Thursday, National WorkshopMarch 9 th, Tuesday, 2010 Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

National Workshop Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

E ARLY C HILDHOOD D EVELOPMENT : T OWARDS A N ATIONAL S TRATEGY A N ATIONAL W ORKSHOP M ARCH 9, 2010 Objectives: The specific objectives of this one day workshop are: To orient participants about the holistic and integrated approach to ECD To present and discuss the draft results of the preparatory meetings To draft the framework for ECD strategy in Lebanon Agenda 9.00 – 10:45 - Registration and welcoming Why this workshop Dr Mariam Ibrahim Global Leader: A Message of Peace May A. Ajram What and Why is ECCD Abeer A. zaki Presentation of the report finding Rana Ismail Address from the minister of social affairs Dr. Salim El Sayegh – Refreshments/ Break Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

11.00 – Working Groups: Media George Chahine Advocacy Amina Berri Programmes and Services directed to the child Dr. Bernard Jerbekah Programmes and Services directed to parents and care givers Dr. Amal Mansour Legislation and laws Dr. Alice Keyrouz 1.00 – Lunch Break 2.00 – Group work presentation Dr. Elie Mekhayel Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Action Plan Cont’d Drafting the framework Persons InvolvedDate 20 Preparing first draftHCC March 27 th, Saturday, Review May, Maysoun, Rana and Abeer May 17 th, Monday, Review meetingMay, Abeer May 11 th, Tuesday, Core committee meeting May, Maysoun, Rana, Abeer, Mariam and Elie May 19 th, Wednesday, Core committee meeting May, Maysoun, Elie and Mariam May 22 nd, Saturday, Core committee meeting May, Maysoun, Elie and Mariam May 27 th, Thursday, Core committee meeting May, Maysoun, Elie and Mariam May 29 th, Saturday, 2010 Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Strengths Global Leader ID National global leaders team The input and the collaboration of the HCC The commitment of the Minister of Social Affairs Build on previous efforts – not start from the scratch Use all possible resources and connections Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Challenges Time and effort involved Collective approach Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Advocating for Global Leaders Global Leader ppp in Regional Conference November 2009 Global Leader announcement in all committees meetings attended Global Leader ppp in Regional Workshop March 2010 HCC announcement on Word Forum 2011 to all ECD committee members in May and a reminder in June Global Leaders in newsletter Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Advocacy and Leadership Cater for your audience (adv) Seize opportunities (adv) Be flexible and accommodate for change (adv) Have convincing tools (adv) Involve as many people as you can (leader) Delegate responsibilities Be ready to do the job Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Conclusion Advocacy is an ongoing process which requires different skills according to different situations and audience Advocacy for ECCD in Lebanon is young and the journey is still long Keeping the momentum among different team members will be a challenge. Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Overwhelming… but not impossible because: The most important cause to support is the cause of children and the most valuable investment to make is investing in their future. Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Global LeadersReggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

The great Gebran Khalil Gebran in his book “The Prophet” said: Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

“Your children are not your children, They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.” Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

So that they might have life and that they might have the future! Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010

Thank you Global Leaders Reggio Emilia, Italy, September, 2010