UNICEF – Anthony Lake
“I used to think that early childhood development was all about education. That if we taught a child her colours and shapes, her letters and numbers, it would stimulate her mind and encourage healthy brain growth. And that is very true. But we now know that it takes more than education for a child’s brain to develop – a lot more. And what we are learning should ignite a revolution in how we think about and act on early childhood development. We already knew how critical the first years of a child’s life are to the healthy development of her brain. During those early years, almost 1000 brain cells connect every second – a pace never matched again…So, how do we unlock the life-changing benefits of early brain development and function? We invest early, to give every child a fair chance in life from the start. We invest equitably, because the children with the least, benefit the most. We invest smartly – not only in education, but also in health, nutrition and protection…The leaders of the world have just adopted the Sustainable Development Goals – and for the first time, ECD [Early Childhood Development] is explicitly recognised in the global development agenda. “(more)