WGECD to coordinate high-level consultation on ECD in Africa in view of informing development of Post 2015 agenda

The Working Group on Early Childhood Development (WGECD) has been given responsibility for coordinating consultation in the Africa region to make ECD a priority for the post-2015 development agenda. It is currently working on the breakdown of the proposed objective for ECD Post-2015 to match the indicator matrix.

The WGECD and the ADEA Quality Node on ECD are also to organize a high-level policy dialogue meeting with the objective of arriving at a position document on ECD. The meeting is to be held prior to the Post-2015 development agenda session to take place in New York in September. 

An extensive advocacy document for the inclusion of ECD in the Post-2015 agenda came out of the high-level meeting held on 28 February 2014 in New York. The subject of the meeting was the Contributions of women, the young and civil society to the post-2015 development agenda.

The key questions in this document are the following:

•    What service offerings, policies and measures can be recommended and submitted to high-level managers in the context of the Post-2015 agenda to address child poverty around the world and its impact on children’s survival, growth and development?

The varied responses to this question revolve around sustainable development, health (including HIV/AIDS), violence and child exploitation, and the investment in the first years of a child’s life.

•    How can Member States give proper consideration to the voices and priorities of marginalized children when defining and implementing the new Post-2015 agenda?

The answer to this question continues to be dialogue because children are excluded from major international debates. It is therefore time to argue for more justice and rights for children and to pay more attention to those who look after them: healthcare workers, child minders and families.

For more information, please contact Ms. Rokhaya Diawara, WGECD Coordinator, email: r.diawara@unesco.org