The Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN) partners have co-developed and launched a Call For Coordinated Action urging all governments, global partnerships, multi- and bi-lateral agencies, political bodies, funders, international non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, the business sector, academia, civil society organizations, networks, and advocates to prioritize and invest in the needs of ALL young children and their parents and caregivers, especially the most vulnerable, during the COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery.
Young children and families are experiencing unprecedented challenges and disruptions to their lives with children at great risk of not reaching their full potential. Now, more than ever, parents and caregivers have a pivotal role to play at the front lines of protecting their children from stress and promoting their development, health, and well-being. This crisis has brought to the forefront the critical role of parenting, as well as the tremendous influence the home environment has on children’s lives
We are concerned about the short term and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on children and their caregivers. Before COVID-19, at least 250 million young children were already at risk of not reaching their full potential. That number is likely to increase exponentially as more people are infected and as more families and communities deal with the socio-economic and the physical and mental health consequences of the crisis. The cost of inaction in the face of COVID-19 will have long term impacts on future human capital.
We must act now. This unprecedented global crisis calls for an agile, coordinated, and unified global effort on behalf of ALL young children, their parents and caregivers, especially the most vulnerable. We must work collectively and in novel ways to adapt, innovate, and continuously learn together in search for equitable and inclusive solutions to the complex and interrelated challenges generated by COVID-19. Join us and grow the global movement for young children, their parents and caregivers to secure a more resilient and promising future.
Learn more and join the call to action here.
