Early

Childhood
Development

UNICEF Vision
for Every Child

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD a

© United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

July 2023

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Published by:
UNICEF
Nutrition and Child Development,
Programme Group
3 United Nations Plaza
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Suggested citation: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Early Childhood

Development. UNICEF Vision for Every Child. UNICEF, New York, 2023.

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Early Childhood
Development

UNICEF Vision
for Every Child
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Early Childhood Development – UNICEF Vision for Every Child was conceptualized by
Nutrition and Child Development, UNICEF Programme Group, in collaboration with a large
number of individuals from UNICEF’s sectors at global level (Health and Immunization,
Water and Sanitation, Education and Adolescent Development, Child Protection and
Migration, and Social Policy and Social Protection) and across regions (East Asia and the
Pacific, Eastern and Southern Africa, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the
Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, and West and Central Africa). It also
benefitted from guidance and inputs by the UNICEF Programme Group Leadership Team,
Deputy Executive Director for Programmes, and the Office of UNICEF’s Executive Director,
as well as guidance and inputs by external partners to UNICEF at global, regional and
national levels.

LEAD TEAM
Victor Aguayo, Erinna Dia, Chemba Raghavan, Khatera Afghan, Grainne Moloney and
Harriet Torlesse.

TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP (in alphabetical order)

Dilara Avdagic, Stephen Blight, Ivelina Borisova, Sanja Budisavljevic, Peck Gee Chua, Arnaud
Conchon, Aidan Cronin, Yannig Dussart, Laura Evans, Mita Gupta, Tedbabe Hailegebriel,
Aleksandra Jovic, Boniface Kakhobwe, Joanna Lai, Divya Lata, Wigdan Madani, Radhika
Mitter, Natalia Mufel, Tomoo Okubo, Patricia Nunez, Oliver Petrovic, Shreya Prakash, Ana
Maria Rodriguez, Eduardo Garcia Rolland, Aditi Shrikhande, Aferdita Spahiu, David Stewart,
Haleinta Bara Traor and Lauren Whitehead.

EDITING AND DESIGN

Julia D’Aloisio (editing) and Nona Reuter (design).
CONTENTS

Preface 4

What is new? 6

Why the early years matter 7

Early childhood today 12

Causal analysis 14

Vision, goal, objectives and target 17

Programme framework 18

Programming principles 19

Result areas 21

A multisectoral approach 23

Implementation strategies 25

Way forward 27

Endnotes 28
PREFACE

Every child has the right to the best start The UNICEF Vision for Early Childhood
in life. This includes the right to good nutrition Development acknowledges the centrality of
and stimulation, responsive care and early learning, adequate policies, programmes and practices in
health and a safe environment. These rights protecting and fulfilling the survival, growth and
provide children with the opportunity to grow and development rights of all children in early life,
develop to their full potential. As children thrive, including in fragile and humanitarian settings. It
entire communities grow, and a more sustainable defines the programming principles to be applied in
and peaceful future is possible. all our work; a menu of multisectoral actions across
a range of UNICEF programme areas – nutrition,
There has been important progress for young health, education and adolescent development,
children in recent decades. However, around water and sanitation, child protection and social
the world, millions of children are not receiving policy; and a set of implementation strategies,
adequate nutrition, stimulation and responsive which are tailored to each country’s context.
care, are missing out on health care and learning
opportunities, and are exposed to unhealthy We know that when programmes and services
environments, violence and stress. The failure are designed and delivered by members of the
to give children the best start in life perpetuates communities they serve, they are far more likely
cycles of poverty and disadvantage that can span to prove successful. Community-based workers
generations, undermining the strength, stability and – with their extensive local knowledge and close
prosperity of nations. connection to parents, caregivers and families – lie
at the heart of this success, especially in remote
We know that a brighter and more equitable future and underserved communities.
is possible. To achieve it, UNICEF is supporting
governments to put child rights at the centre of As a multisectoral agency with wide on-the-ground
policies and programmes in the earliest years of life. presence and deep field experience, UNICEF is
uniquely positioned to take this Vision forward
The UNICEF Vision for Early Childhood with partners. We stand ready to support national
Development provides a framework for UNICEF’s governments in building stronger systems that
organization-wide support to early childhood support caregivers in providing the nourishment,
development, focusing on children from birth to care and love that every child deserves, from the
the age of school entry. This vision is guided by the first days of life.
Convention on the Rights of the Child and supports
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
It is informed by scientific and programmatic
evidence and responds to the changing realities
of children, parents, caregivers and families in the Catherine Russell
twenty‑first century. Executive Director, UNICEF

4 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD 5
WHAT IS NEW?
1 The definition of what early childhood
development means to UNICEF. Early childhood
development encompasses UNICEF’s programming
6 The UNICEF Programme Framework for Early
Childhood Development. The Programme
Framework describes how UNICEF will protect, promote
for children in early life. It brings together UNICEF’s and support the optimal survival, growth and development
multisectoral expertise and experience to ensure that all of all children from birth to primary school entry – with
children benefit from policies, programmes and practices emphasis on the first 1,000 days – through improved
that protect, promote and support optimal nutrition, policies, programmes and practices, including in fragile
stimulation, learning, health, safety and security in early contexts and in response to humanitarian crises.
childhood, everywhere.

2 A new UNICEF vision and goal. UNICEF

envisions a world where all young
7 Six universal programming principles. Guided
by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and in
support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,
children survive, grow and develop to their full UNICEF programming for early childhood development is
potential. This means that all young children, from birth to rights-based, equity-focused, gender-responsive, context-
primary school entry, benefit from policies, programmes specific, evidence-informed and systems-centred, and
and practices that protect, promote and support child aims to sustainably improve the survival, growth and
survival and optimal growth and development, including in development of children in early life.
fragile contexts and in response to humanitarian crises.

3 A deliberate focus on children from birth to

primary school entry, with emphasis on the
8 Three universal results areas. These results areas
apply in all programming contexts and include:
policies and legislation that enable opportunities for early
first 1,000 days. Experiences from birth to school entry childhood development; programmes and services that
have profound impacts on children’s physical, cognitive, promote and support early childhood development; and
emotional and social development and lay the foundation parents and caregivers that are supported in caring for
for the rest of their lives. The first 1,000 days are the their young children and themselves.
most sensitive period for physical growth and brain

9
development for girls and boys, in times of stability and
crisis, throughout the world. A set of UNICEF programming areas specific
to each sector. At global, regional, national and
subnational levels, UNICEF will apply its sectoral expertise

4 A deliberate emphasis on supporting parents,

caregivers and families. UNICEF will support
governments and partners to integrate parenting and
in the areas of child nutrition and development, health
and immunization, water and sanitation, education and
adolescent development, child protection, and social
caregiving support into existing programmes and services policy, as well as cross-cutting programming in gender,
that interact with parents, caregivers and families of young disability inclusion, climate change and social and
children, particularly during the first 1,000 days. UNICEF behaviour change.
will strengthen the presence, competencies, supervision

10
and motivation of community-based workers to build the
knowledge and skills of parents, caregivers and families on A new global target for early childhood
responsive caregiving. development. As a multisectoral agency with
technical expertise in child nutrition and development,
child health and immunization, water and sanitation,

5 The UNICEF Causal Analysis of Optimal Early

Childhood Development. The Causal Analysis
describes the pathways to optimal development in early
education and adolescent development, child protection,
and social policy and deep field experience, UNICEF is
uniquely positioned to ensure, by 2030, at least 275
childhood. It clarifies the immediate, underlying and million children benefit every year from policies,
enabling determinants of early childhood development, programmes and practices that protect, promote
describes their vertical and horizontal interconnectedness, and support early childhood development in UNICEF
and highlights their contribution to positive individual and programme countries.
societal outcomes.

6 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD

WHY THE EARLY YEARS MATTER

Children’s early years lay the foundation for the rest of A right for every child
their lives. Early experiences have profound impacts
on their physical, cognitive, emotional and social Early childhood development is a fundamental
development that extend into adulthood. right of every child. The United Nations Convention
on the Rights of the Child (1989) acknowledges
This is true in times of stability and crisis, for girls and the significance of early childhood development in
boys, in rural and urban communities, and in countries enabling children to achieve their full growth and
throughout the world. development potential.2

Early childhood development is an outcome, and All countries that have ratified the Convention on the
encompasses the physical, cognitive, motor, language, Rights of the Child are duty-bound to provide universal
social and emotional development of children in the access to essential services for early survival, growth
early years. and development, with particular focus on protecting
the most vulnerable children. Recommendations for
Early childhood is typically defined as the period fulfilling these rights are outlined in the Committee on
from birth to 8 years of age.1 The UNICEF Vision the Rights of the Child’s General Comment No. 7.
for Early Childhood Development focuses on the
period from birth up to primary school entry, The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
with emphasis on the first 1,000 days, because it is has also embraced development in early childhood as
scientifically proven that this is the most sensitive central to ending poverty and inequality and ensuring
period for children’s physical growth and brain prosperity and peace.
development.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outline
specific commitments and targets that directly
influence the services and enabling environments that
young children need in order to grow and develop to
their full potential (see Figure 1). At the same time,
early childhood development is essential for attaining
many of the SDG targets.

Early childhood is a crucial window of opportunity

during which interactions between young children
and their environments influence children’s physical,
cognitive, emotional and social development

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD 7

FIGURE 1: Early childhood development in the Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and
everywhere security and improve nutrition promote well-being for all
Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at Target 2.2: By 2030, end all forms of Target 3.2: By 2030, end
least by half the proportion of malnutrition, including achieving preventable deaths of newborns
men, women and children of all the internationally agreed targets and children under 5 years of age,
ages living in poverty in all its on stunting and wasting in children with all countries aiming to reduce
dimensions under 5 years of age neonatal mortality to at least as
low as 12 per 1,000 live births and
Investments in early childhood Children who benefit from
under-5 mortality to at least as low
development improve child nutritious and safe diets, essential
as 25 per 1,000 live births
nutrition, health and learning, nutrition services and positive
reduce drop-outs, contribute to feeding, stimulation and care Children who are protected from
better labour force performance practices in early life have disease are less likely to die,
and wage rates, and cut better nutrition, growth and become undernourished or suffer
intergenerational poverty. developmental outcomes. cognitive impairment.

Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and Goal 5. Achieve gender equality Goal 6. Ensure availability and
equitable quality education and empower all women and girls sustainable management of water
and promote lifelong learning and sanitation for all
Target 5.4: Recognize and value
opportunities for all unpaid care and domestic work Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve
Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that through the provision of public universal and equitable access to
all girls and boys have access services, infrastructure and safe and affordable drinking water
to quality early childhood social protection policies and the for all
development, care and pre-primary promotion of shared responsibility Target 6.2: By 2030, achieve
education so that they are ready within the household and the access to adequate and equitable
for primary education family as nationally appropriate sanitation and hygiene for all
Interventions to promote brain Greater investment in family- Clean and safe water, adequate
development, early learning friendly policies and affordable sanitation, and hygienic
(including social-emotional learning) childcare is linked to greater environments at home and in
and school readiness provide the opportunities for women and better facilities are critical for optimal
foundation for school success and outcomes for children. growth and development in
future productivity. young children.

Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural
disasters in all countries
Investments in early childhood increase the resilience of children and families, contribute to
climate change adaptability and are an equalizer to climate change inequities.

Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development
Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against children
Interventions to end abuse and violence against children improve early childhood development
and lead to greater social cohesion in communities.

8 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD

Building brains, building futures Conversely, adversity and toxic stress during the
crucial early years can lead to lifelong negative impacts
In the early years of life, children’s brains develop at a on a child’s brain functioning, including impairments
speed of more than one million new neural connections in behaviour, cognition, school readiness and learning
per second – a pace never again repeated.3 Such rapid (Box 1).5, 6
brain growth and development is most pronounced
during the first 1,000 days and provides the foundation Based on this evidence, the Nurturing Care
for lifelong physical, cognitive, emotional and social Framework1 was developed to describe the five
functioning.3, 4 interrelated and indivisible components of nurturing
care that children’s bodies and brains require for
These rapid neuronal connections are made in response optimal growth and development (Figure 2):
to the child’s interaction with the environment.
Evidence from neuroscience shows that children are • Adequate nutrition
much more likely to grow and develop to their full • Responsive caregiving
potential if they are well-nourished and stimulated; • Safety and security
protected from childhood illnesses, violence, abuse and • Opportunities for early learning
neglect; and given adequate learning opportunities and
• Good health
responsive care.

BOX 1
Key evidence from neuroscience 7–9

Nutrition Learning
• Nutrition and stimulation interact with each other, • Children’s brain development suffers when
affecting how the body and brain absorb and use they do not benefit from playful and stimulating
nutrients and influencing children’s growth and learning interactions in early life.
development. • The benefits of play-based learning and early
childhood education yield broad dividends that
• Good nutrition in early childhood improves
last a lifetime.
child survival, body growth, brain architecture,
cognitive development and school readiness. Parenting
Health • The cognitive, physical, social and emotional
development of children in early life can be
• Toxic stress in early childhood affects the body’s
immune and metabolic systems, increasing the negatively affected by a lack nurturing and
risk of heart disease, diabetes, substance abuse stimulating care from parents and caregivers.
and depression in later life. • Nurturing care can offset the effects of adversity
• Children who are protected against childhood and can improve brain function throughout life,
illnesses, such as diarrhoea, are more likely to even affecting future generations.
grow and develop to their full potential.

Child protection
• Violence, abuse, neglect and traumatic
experiences in early life lead to toxic stress,
causing the body to produce high levels of
cortisol, which disrupts brain development.
• Children who live in contexts free from conflict,
climatic crises and pollution are more likely to
experience optimal growth, brain development,
and physical and mental health.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD 9

 ADE
The Nurturing Care TH QU
AL AT
Framework describes E EN
H U
D T
the five interrelated O

GO

RI
and indivisible

TI
NO
components of
nurturing care that
children’s bodies and
brains require for

REGIVING
NURTURING
optimal growth and CARE
development

CA
IVE
NS
S PO
RE
S EC
URITY TY
AND SAFE

FIGURE 2: Domains of nurturing care for children to reach their growth and development potential1

These components apply to children living in Investments in early childhood are one of the most
development, fragile and humanitarian settings, cost-effective ways to achieve more sustainable
and are particularly important for children living with growth; for governments, the economic return is as
developmental difficulties and disabilities, and those high as US$13 for every US$1 spent.1 In fact, the
experiencing other forms of adversity. return on investment in early childhood development
programmes is considerably higher compared to
A smart investment equivalent investments in the later years.10

Policies, programmes and parenting practices that These investments are a social equalizer. They break
improve child survival, growth and development in cycles of inequality and injustice, make individuals and
early childhood also improve school readiness and societies more resilient to stress, build social cohesion
learning outcomes during the school-age years and and pave the way towards sustainable peace.11
productivity and earnings in adulthood.1, 5, 7 In addition, This holds true during displacement and emergencies,
they reduce the financial strain on health, education, which can aggravate inequalities and have devastating
and child protection systems. impacts on young children.12

10 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD 11
EARLY CHILDHOOD TODAY
Falling behind from birth programme countries do not receive adequate early
stimulation, responsive care and parenting support.17
There has been important progress for young children Due to these and other threats, 29 per cent of children
in recent decades. Between 2000 and 2020, the aged 3–5 years are not developmentally on track.17
number of deaths among children under 5 has fallen
by almost half and the prevalence of children under Multiple deprivations
5 with stunted growth due to undernutrition has
declined by one-third.13, 14 As a result, there were 4.7 Millions of young children are being left behind by
million fewer annual deaths in children under 5 and 55 inequitable development and humanitarian crises,
million fewer children suffering from stunting in 2020 and experience multiple and mutually reinforcing
than 2000, despite population growth. deprivations (Figure 3). Threats to early child
development often cluster together, and so exposure
These remarkable achievements show that positive to one risk usually means exposure to many.1
change for child survival, growth and development in
early life is possible and is happening at scale, across These deprivations include, but are not limited to,
countries and continents. extreme income poverty; severe food poverty and
malnutrition; poor access to essential nutrition, health,
However, a persistent lack of opportunities endangers water and sanitation services; lack of access to early
the futures of millions of children around the world. stimulation, responsive care and learning opportunities;
1 in 3 children under 5 are not growing and
An estimated 250 million children under discrimination based on disability, gender identity
developing well due 5to(two in five
malnutrition.
children) are at risk of not fulfilling their developmental and sexual orientation of parents, caregivers or any
1 in 3 children 3–4 years are not developmentally members of their families; violence, abuse and neglect;
potential;15 an estimated 200 million children under 5
on track.
(one in three children) are not growing and developing gender discrimination; and exposure to climatic crises,
well due to malnutrition in early childhood;16 and more environmental pollution, armed conflicts and migration.1,16
than two in five children aged 3–4 years in UNICEF

300 million 202 million ≥175 million

children 2–4 years of age children under 5 live children are not
regularly experience violent in severe food poverty19 enrolled in pre-primary
discipline from their education 20
caregivers18

>125 million >110 million 17 million

children under 5 live children under 5 live infants under 1
in areas of high or in areas affected by breathe in toxic airr23
extremely high water conflict 22
vulnerability21

1 in 3 1 in 3
children children
under 5 is not growing 3–4 years of age is
and developing well not developmentally
due to malnutrition 24 on track 25

FIGURE 3: Millions of children experience deprivation in early childhood

12 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD

Vulnerable children struggle most to access services. Urbanization and globalization pose both challenges
For example, children living with disabilities are 25 and opportunities to growth and development in
per cent less likely to receive and benefit from early early childhood. Urbanization has increased access
stimulation, responsive care and early childhood to nutritious foods and essential nutrition services
education services;26 and children in the richest for many, but the poorest children and their families
households are seven times more likely to attend often miss out because they lack financial access
early childhood education programmes than the and live in overcrowded and underserved urban poor
poorest.27 areas. Globalization has led to a rapid rise in the sale
of ultra-processed foods, which are undermining more
Failure to shield children from these deprivations nutritious and safer traditional diets.30
results in unacceptable lost potential and perpetuates
poverty and inequality. Deprivations in early The barriers to children’s growth and development are
childhood impact body and brain functioning later even greater in settings gripped by conflicts, climate
in life, contributing to reduced learning ability, early crises, public health emergencies and economic
school dropout, reduced earning capacity, decreased shocks. In recent years, the scale and complexity
economic productivity, exacerbated distrust, and of humanitarian crises across the world have risen
negative interpersonal relationships.11, 28, 29 to unprecedented levels. Families face immense
difficulties in providing nurturing care for their young
A changing world children when they are living in extreme poverty or
struggling in conditions of war, drought, floods and
Today’s children are living in a changing world. displacement.
Urbanization and globalization, increasing socio-
economic inequities, global and local conflicts, In addition, environmental pollution is a growing threat.
climate crises, public health emergencies and Air pollution is linked with diseases and infections that
economic shocks jeopardize the progress made in kill around 600,000 children under 5 every year.31 It also
early childhood development and exacerbate the damages the protective barriers in a child’s developing
early childhood development crisis.16, 17 brain, leading to the loss and damage of neural tissue.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD 13

CAUSAL ANALYSIS

The UNICEF Causal Analysis of Optimal Early Childhood Development uses a positive narrative to
describe the pathways to optimal development in early childhood. It provides conceptual clarity on the
immediate, underlying and enabling determinants of early childhood development, their vertical and horizontal
interconnectedness, and the positive survival, growth, learning, health, economic and social outcomes resulting
from improved development in early childhood (see Figure 4).

Outcomes • In childhood and adolescence, improved survival, physical

The UNICEF Causal Analysis identifies growth, cognitive development, health, school readiness and
a range of short- and long-term school performance.
outcomes resulting from optimal • In adulthood and for societies, improved nutrition, health,
development in early childhood: productivity and wages in adult women and men, and improved
prosperity and cohesion in societies.

Immediate determinants • Adequate nutrition and stimulation, driven by policies,

The UNICEF Causal Analysis identifies programmes and practices that promote and support nutritious
two immediate determinants of optimal diets and responsive feeding, and enable early stimulation and
development in early childhood: learning.
• Adequate care and protection, driven by policies, programmes
and practices that promote and support nurturing care and good
health and protect young children from toxic stress.

Underlying determinants • Policies and legislation that protect, promote and support
The UNICEF Causal Analysis identifies adequate nutrition, stimulation, care, early learning, health and
three underlying determinants of protection.
optimal development in early childhood: • Programmes and services that protect, promote and support
adequate nutrition, stimulation, care, early learning, health and
protection.
• Practices by parents and caregivers that protect, promote and
support adequate nutrition, stimulation, care, early learning,
health and protection.

Enabling determinants • Sufficient resources, including human, financial and

The UNICEF Causal Analysis identifies environmental resources to enable optimal development in
three enabling determinants of optimal young children.
development in early childhood: • Positive norms, including social, cultural and gender norms to
enable optimal development in young children.
• Good governance, including political, financial, social, and public
and private sector actions to enable optimal development in
young children.

14 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD

 Policies
Programmes
Practices
Enabling Underlying Immediate
Outcomes
determinants determinants determinants
Early childhood
Resources Nutrition and stimulation development
Norms Care and protection
Governance

Outcomes EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

for children Improved survival, physical growth, cognitive development, health, school readiness and
and societies school performance in children and adolescents; improved nutrition, health, productivity and
wages in adult women and men; and improved prosperity and cohesion in societies

NUTRITION AND STIMULATION CARE AND PROTECTION

Immediate Adequate nutrition and stimulation, driven Adequate care and protection, driven by
by policies, programmes and practices policies, programmes and practices that
determinants that promote and support nutritious diets promote and support nurturing care and
and responsive feeding, and enable good health and protect young children
early stimulation and learning from toxic stress

POLICIES PROGRAMMES PRACTICES

Policies and legislation that Programmes and services Practices by parents and
Underlying protect, promote and support that protect, promote and caregivers that protect,
determinants adequate nutrition, support adequate nutrition, promote and support
stimulation, care, early stimulation, care, early adequate nutrition,
learning, health and learning, health and stimulation, care, early
protection protection learning, health and protection

RESOURCES NORMS
Sufficient resources – including human, Positive social, cultural and gender
financial and environmental – to enable norms and actions to enable optimal
optimal development in young children development in young children
Enabling
determinants
GOVERNANCE
Good governance – including political, financial, social and public and private sector actions –
to enable optimal development in young children

FIGURE 4: UNICEF Causal Analysis of Optimal Early Childhood Development

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD 15

16 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD
VISION, GOAL, OBJECTIVES AND TARGET

The UNICEF Vision for Early Childhood Development is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the
Child and supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It outlines UNICEF’s intent to support an
organization-wide approach to child development in the early years of life, drawing on its mandate for child
rights, multisectoral expertise, wide on-the-ground presence, and long-standing role as a trusted adviser to
governments and partners at national, regional and global levels.

Our vision
A world where all young children survive, grow and develop to their full potential,
everywhere

Supportive
policies and
Our goal legislation
All young children, from birth to
primary school entry, benefit from All young
policies, programmes and practices children
survive, grow
that protect, promote and support
and develop to
child survival and optimal growth their full
and development, including in potential,
fragile contexts and in response to Supportive everywhere Supported
services and parents and
humanitarian crises
programmes caregivers

Our objectives
• To strengthen policies • To expand programmes • To support parents and
and legislation that enable and services that protect caregivers in caring for
opportunities for early and promote early childhood their young children and
childhood development development themselves

Our target
By 2030, at least 275 million children benefit every year from policies, programmes and
practices that protect, promote and support early childhood development in UNICEF
programme countries.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD 17

PROGRAMME FRAMEWORK
The UNICEF Programme Framework for Early Childhood Development is informed by the UNICEF Causal
Analysis of Optimal Early Childhood Development and describes how UNICEF will protect, promote and support
the optimal survival, growth and development of all children in early childhood, from birth to primary school entry.
The Programme Framework sets out the six universal programming principles, three results areas, multisectoral
approach and implementation strategies that UNICEF will use to achieve the vision, goal and objectives of the
UNICEF Vision for Early Childhood Development (Figure 5).
UNICEF Programme Framework for Early Childhood Development 2020-2030

VISION
EARLY CHILDHOOD A world where all young children survive, grow
DEVELOPMENT and develop to their full potential, everywhere

Convention of the Rights Recognizes the right of all children to survival,

of the Child growth and development

All young children, from birth to primary school entry, benefit from policies,
GOAL programmes and practices that protect, promote and support child survival and
optimal growth and development, including in fragile contexts and in response to
humanitarian crises

2030 Agenda for Recognizes young children’s development as central to ending

poverty and inequality and ensuring prosperity and peace
Sustainable Development

Objective 1 Objective 2 Objective 3

To strengthen policies and To expand programmes To support parents and
OBJECTIVES legislation that enable and services that protect caregivers in caring for
opportunities for early and promote early their young children and
childhood development childhood development themselves

PROGRAMMING Rights-based Equity-focused Gender-responsive

PRINCIPLES
Context-specific Evidence-informed Systems-centred

Results Area 1 Results Area 2 Results Area 3

Policies and legislation Programmes and services Parents and caregivers are
RESULTS enable opportunities for protect, promote and supported in caring for
AREAS early childhood support early childhood their young children and
development development themselves

MULTISECTORAL Water and Child Social

Nutrition Health Education
APPROACH Sanitation Protection Policy

PROGRAMMING STRATEGIES
• Situation analysis • Advocacy • Policy and programme design • Programme scale-up •
IMPLEMENTATION • Social and behaviour change and community engagement • Capacity development •
STRATEGIES • Supply chains • Financing • Data, monitoring and evaluation • Knowledge, innovations and learning

PARTNERSHIPS RESOURCES
Governments and partners Human and financial

FIGURE 5: UNICEF Programme Framework for Early Childhood Development

18 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD

PROGRAMMING PRINCIPLES
Six universal principles guide the design and implementation of UNICEF programming
for early childhood development at the global, regional, national and subnational levels:

Rights-based Context-specific
UNICEF’s approach to early childhood development UNICEF adapts its interventions, strategies and
is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the approaches to the context in which children and
Child, which recognizes children’s right to survival, their caregivers live. Context-specific programming
growth and development. UNICEF supports is informed by an analysis of the situation of
national governments, civil society, academia, the children – including determinants, drivers and
private sector and other duty-bearers – including potential pathways to optimal development in early
parents, caregivers and service providers – in childhood, as well as an analysis of the resources
respecting, protecting and fulfilling this right. (human and financial) and partnerships available.

Equity-focused Evidence-informed
UNICEF programming is guided by the conviction UNICEF advocates for and supports evidence-
that reducing inequities is right in both principle and informed policies and legislation, the scale-up
practice. Policies, programmes and services that of programmes and services, and the adoption
reduce inequities and promote inclusion improve of practices that protect, promote and support
impact because developmental impairments in early early childhood development. In addition, UNICEF
life, especially the vital first 1,000 days, are more supports the generation of new data, knowledge
likely to affect the most vulnerable and marginalized and evidence to inform innovative approaches to
children, including minority groups, children living in early childhood development and advocate for their
extreme poverty and children living with disabilities. implementation.

Gender-responsive System-centred
UNICEF strives to eliminate gender inequities UNICEF works across systems to sustainably
across the life course and within households and strengthen their capacity to deliver policies,
societies. This includes advocating for maternity programmes and practices that improve the
protection and family-friendly policies that help survival, growth and development of children
both women and men to manage paid work and in early life. UNICEF focuses on six systems –
child-caring responsibilities, and fostering social and food, health, water and sanitation, education,
gender norms that promote the equitable sharing child protection and social protection – that have
of domestic and child-caring work among men the greatest potential to deliver results for early
and women. childhood development.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD 19

20 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD
RESULT AREAS
UNICEF organizes its programming for early childhood development into three results areas:
• Results Area 1: Policies and legislation enable opportunities for early childhood development
• Results Area 2: Programmes and services promote and support early childhood development
• Results Area 3: Parents and caregivers are supported in caring for their young children and themselves

Results Area 1 In addition, we support governments and partners

Policies and legislation enable in coordinating across sectors and stakeholder groups
opportunities for early childhood to guide and monitor the implementation of policies
development and legislation.

Results Area 1 encompasses UNICEF’s support to Results Area 2

the development of policies, legislation, strategies Programmes and services promote and
and costed plans that enable child survival, growth support early childhood development
and development in early life. This includes
overarching policies, strategies and plans on early Results Area 2 encompasses UNICEF’s support
childhood development, as well those on specific to the design, implementation and scale-up of
facets of early childhood development, such as early programmes and services that protect, promote and
childhood nutrition, early childhood education and support early childhood development.
social protection.
Programmes and services should be packaged
UNICEF identifies gaps in national policies and and delivered in ways that optimize access to
legislation, and generates and uses evidence to and continuity of care. UNICEF fosters integrated
make the ethical, political, social and financial case approaches and geographic convergence of
to address these gaps. In low- and middle-income programmes and services to enhance opportunities
contexts, there is often a need for better integration to meet the multiple needs of young children.
of early stimulation, responsive caregiving and For example, primary health care facilities and
parenting into sectoral policies, including within community-based child nutrition and development
the nutrition, health, education and child protection services provide the opportunity to reach young
sectors. In addition, there is need for family-friendly children and their caregivers with infant feeding
policies and legislation that provide adequate financial counselling, nutrition supplements, vaccinations,
protection and flexible work arrangements for families counselling on early stimulation and responsive
and caregivers of vulnerable young children. caregiving, screening for developmental delays
and disabilities, and birth registration services.
UNICEF engages and convenes national stakeholders Mechanisms must be established to facilitate the
and opinion setters, including parliamentarians, to referral of children and their parents or caregivers
build support for policies and legislation. We provide between services delivered through different
technical support to draft policies and legislation, systems and platforms.
based on global and local evidence, recommendations
and needs. We ensure these policies and legislation Special attention must be given to the needs of
address the specific needs of vulnerable children, vulnerable children, including those living with
including economically disadvantaged children disabilities, with adolescent parents, belonging
and those living with disabilities. We also partner to marginalized groups, and living in extreme
with governments and financial decision-makers to poverty. This may involve additional interventions
influence and support the mobilization, allocation and or services, such as targeted support to caregivers
utilization of domestic financial resources for early on how to feed and care for children living with
childhood development. disabilities; adapted services to meet the specific

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD 21

needs of adolescent mothers and fathers; tailored UNICEF will seek to increase parental engagement
social and behaviour change approaches to (among both fathers and mothers) in services
address underlying social and gender norms; for young children, including community-based
expanded community-based delivery platforms to childcare and preschool, and early intervention
reach young children in underserved communities; services for children with developmental delays
and referral to social transfer programmes. and disabilities.

The Core Commitments for Children in UNICEF will also focus on the mental health
Humanitarian Action equip UNICEF and its and socio-emotional well-being of parents and
partners to deliver a principled, timely, quality caregivers. This includes supporting parents
and child‑centred response to any crisis with (whether they are fathers or mothers) to engage
humanitarian consequences.32 The Core in and share childcare responsibilities, as well
Commitments for Children include cross-cutting as empowering other caregivers, such as those
commitments on early childhood development to in extended families. In addition, UNICEF will
ensure that: young children have equitable access work with governments and the private sector to
to essential services to fulfil their development introduce family-friendly policies and affordable
needs; parents and caregivers are supported childcare services that allow parents to balance
to practice nurturing care; and the capacities childcare with paid work responsibilities.
of frontline workers and partners in inclusive
early childhood development and nurturing care UNICEF strengthens the presence, skills and
are strengthened. motivation of community-based workers to build
the knowledge and skills of parents, caregivers
Results Area 3 and families on responsive caregiving. These
Parents and caregivers are supported workers often live in the communities they serve,
in caring for young children and and have extensive local knowledge as well as
themselves trusted and respectful relationships with community
members. They play a crucial role in building
Results Area 3 encompasses UNICEF’s support collaborative partnerships with parents, caregivers
to programmes and services to empower parents and families that extends beyond the provision of
and caregivers to care for their young children information or education to the co-construction
and themselves. of support for the child, as well as for parents and
caregivers themselves.
UNICEF will support governments and partners to
integrate parenting and caregiving support into
existing programmes and services that interact
with parents and caregivers of young children. This
includes early stimulation and responsive caregiving
of young children; breastfeeding and responsive
complementary feeding; health care seeking
behaviours and hygiene and sanitation practices
for young children; playful interactions and positive
discipline; and gender-responsive parenting.
Inclusivity is a key principle; nurturing care should
be supported for all children, especially the most
vulnerable, including children with disabilities and
those living in extreme poverty and in humanitarian
crises. In addition, adolescent parents may need
added support to care for themselves and meet
their specific needs as caregivers.

22 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD

A MULTISECTORAL APPROACH
UNICEF will leverage its multisectoral capabilities to support mutually reinforcing sectoral actions across the
three results areas to impact comprehensively on the determinants of optimal early childhood development in a
given context (Box 2).

UNICEF offices at global, regional, national and subnational levels will apply sectoral expertise in the areas of nutrition
and child development, health and immunization, water and sanitation, education and adolescent development, child
protection, and social policy, as well as cross-cutting programming capacity in gender, disability inclusion, climate
change, peacebuilding, social and behaviour change and community engagement.

Nutrition Health Water and sanitation

• Maternal nutrition before, during • Maternal and newborn health • Safe and affordable drinking
and after pregnancy water
• Maternal and caregiver mental
• Breastfeeding, complementary foods health • Safe handling and storage of
and responsive feeding and care drinking water
• Immunization and management
of common childhood illnesses • Sanitation, including the safe
• Fortified foods and micronutrient
disposal of child faeces
supplements for children and women • Early detection and intervention
• Handwashing with soap at
• Early detection and treatment of for developmental delays and
critical times by caregivers and
child malnutrition disabilities
young children
• Early stimulation in Child Nutrition • Early stimulation in Child Health
and Development programmes and Immunization programmes

Education Child protection Social policy

• Early childhood care and • Legal identity, including birth • Measurement of child poverty in
education services registration early childhood
• Parenting support for early • Mental health and psychosocial • Inclusive social protection,
learning and caregiving support of children and caregivers including child benefits and
• Enhanced home-learning • Prevention of violence against health insurance
environments children and women in family • Family-friendly policies and care
• Social-emotional development settings
• Local governance for early
of children • Prevention and response to child childhood services
• Inclusive early childhood abuse and neglect
• Public investment in early
education for children • Prevention of family separation childhood development
and promotion of family-based
alternative care

Cross-cutting
• Gender-responsive parenting and gender socialization
• Disability inclusive policies, programmes and services
• Climate-resilient and sustainable ECD policies, programmes and practices
• Peacebuilding and social cohesion through investments in early childhood development
• Social and behaviour change and community engagement

Box 2: UNICEF programming areas by sector 27, 33–40

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD 23

24 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
UNICEF will draw from 10 programming strategies and leverage its resources and
partnerships to translate the goal and objectives of this Vision for Early Childhood
Development into measurable results for children’s survival, growth and development in
early life.

Programming strategies Programme scale-up: UNICEF provides technical

support to governments and partners for the scale-
UNICEF uses 10 programming strategies to support up of programmes and services to protect, promote
national and subnational governments and other and support child survival, growth and development
duty-bearers to strengthen policies and legislation, in early childhood. We guide the development of the
expand programmes and services, and support parents multisectoral and sectoral results frameworks and
and caregivers to realize children’s right to survival, implementation plans that leverage and strengthen
growth and development in early childhood. We the capacity of six systems – food, health, water
prioritize and tailor these strategies to the programming and sanitation, education, child protection and social
context, in consultation with governments and protection – to deliver programmes and services, with
partners, and considering the needs, partnerships emphasis on the first 1,000 days.
and resources available.
Social and behaviour change and community
Situation analysis: In consultation with government engagement: UNICEF uses social and behaviour
and other partners, UNICEF conducts systematic change approaches to shape norms, promote
situation analyses of early childhood development nurturing care and parenting practices and to increase
to understand the current status, the immediate and demand for services among parents, caregivers
underlying determinants, and the potential pathways for and community leaders. We empower and mobilize
positive impact. These analyses provide the evidence communities to participate in the analysis, design,
base to advocate with governments and partners implementation and evaluation of programmes
on priority actions, roles and responsibilities, and to improve survival, growth and development in
resource needs. early childhood.

Advocacy: UNICEF uses rights-based and evidence- Capacity strengthening: UNICEF works to
informed arguments to convince political leaders, strengthen the organizational capacities of
policymakers, donors, public and private sector governments and partners to design, implement and
partners and other decision-makers to lead and support monitor policies and programmes for early childhood
actions that uphold children’s right to early childhood development. We also support and equip facility- and
development. This involves generating evidence, community-based workers to build the knowledge and
strengthening relationships with decision-makers, skills of parents and caregivers to adopt behaviours
leveraging communication opportunities and convening and practices that improve child survival, growth
stakeholders to make the ethical, political, social and and development.
financial case for actions and investment in early
childhood development. Supply chains: UNICEF advocates for governments
and partners to sustainably strengthen supply chains
Policy, legislation and programme design: to make essential supplies available and affordable
UNICEF provides support to national and subnational in all contexts, such as nutrition supplements,
governments to design multisectoral and sectoral vaccines, medicines and sanitary equipment. This
policies, legislation and programmes to improve early includes support to product selection, quality
childhood development. UNICEF supports governments assurance, forecasting, local production, procurement,
in the design process by generating evidence to inform distribution and rational use. We also advocate for
decision-making, providing technical guidance that is governments to allocate funds for supplies to ensure
tailored to a specific context, and convening stakeholders. the sustainable delivery of services.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD 25

Domestic and external financing: UNICEF outcomes. Other partners include United Nations
advocates with governments, development banks, agencies, multilateral development banks, bilateral
donors and the private sector for increased domestic donors, civil society and non-governmental
and external financing to support the implementation organizations, academia, the media and the
of policies and programmes that improve the survival, private sector.
growth and development of children in early childhood.
We advocate for a more efficient and equitable UNICEF will continue to engage with the Scaling Up
allocation of existing financial resources, and support Nutrition (SUN) movement, the Early Childhood
governments in monitoring and tracking national Development Action Network (ECDAN) and other
investments. networks at global, regional and national levels. SUN
and ECDAN provide platforms for organizations
Data, monitoring and evaluation: UNICEF provides and networks to catalyse collective action on
technical support and guidance to strengthen data, behalf of young children and their families. They
monitoring and evaluation systems across all sectors connect partners, facilitate knowledge exchange
that contribute to early childhood development. and learning, and coordinate and align advocacy for
We strengthen the capacities of governments and increased investment in evidence-informed policies,
partners to develop results frameworks and to engage programmes and services.
in results-based management. We are also the
custodian of global data and information systems to Presence and people
track progress towards SDG targets that relate to early
childhood development, including indicators 2.2.1, UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and
2.2.2 and 4.2.1. territories in seven regions, across both development
and humanitarian contexts. With its multisectoral
Knowledge, innovations and learning: UNICEF teams of in-country professionals, UNICEF is able to
supports governments and partners to generate, maximize results for children through its support to
document and share knowledge and learning to reinforce interventions across sectors and systems.
strengthen the design of policies and programmes to
improve survival, growth and development in early UNICEF has the largest workforce of all international
childhood. We foster a culture of innovation to design, organizations in nutrition, health, education and
test, evaluate and scale up new policy concepts adolescent development, water and sanitation, child
and programme strategies in ways that inspire protection and social policy. At the start of 2023,
governments, partners and communities. UNICEF had more than 16,000 staff leading and
supporting the design and implementation of policies
Strategic partnerships and programmes in these areas worldwide.

UNICEF convenes and supports strategic partnerships UNICEF’s global and regional emergency and
at global, regional, national and subnational levels supply teams – combined with in-country staff and
to protect the rights of children in early childhood organizational mechanisms to rapidly deploy additional
and accelerate progress towards the 2030 Agenda staff, supplies and funds as needed – help to ensure
for Sustainable Development. These partnerships effective and swift humanitarian response for young
allow UNICEF to share responsibilities, optimize children in the event of emergencies.
resources, and increase the reach and influence of
policies and programmes to improve early childhood
development outcomes.

Governments are UNICEF’s main partners because

they hold primary responsibility for the protection,
promotion and fulfilment of children’s rights in any
country. UNICEF advocates for and supports the
efforts of national and subnational governments to
scale up policies and programmes to protect, promote
and support optimal early childhood development

26 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD

WAY FORWARD
While children’s lives have improved in recent The UNICEF Vision for Early Childhood Development
decades, at least 250 million children under 5 (two articulates UNICEF’s framework for organization-
in five children) are at risk of not reaching their wide support to early childhood development. By
developmental potential because of poverty and strengthening policies and legislation, expanding
malnutrition. Millions of children around the world programmes and services across multiple sectors
are not receiving the responsive care they need, and systems, and supporting parents and caregivers,
are missing out on nutrition, health and learning our Vision aims to protect, promote and support
opportunities, and are exposed to unhealthy early childhood development from birth to the age of
environments, violence and stress. school entry.

A good start to life for every child is increasingly UNICEF will use its expertise in nutrition, health, water
urgent in a world where many millions of children are and sanitation, education and adolescent development,
exposed to multiple interacting deprivations, especially child protection, social policy and programming at
those affected by multidimensional poverty and community level and enhance cross-cutting actions to
humanitarian crises. The first 1,000 days of life is a strengthen systems and support parents, caregivers
unique period of opportunity when the foundations of and families to secure a more equitable future for
optimum growth and development are established. children everywhere.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD 27

ENDNOTES
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Health and Human Potential. WHO, 2021 Edition of the Joint Child Malnutrition M., & Subramanian, S. V. (2017). A review
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parties on how to fulfill their obligations to life course. Lancet, 389(10064), 77–90. et al. (2017). Investing in the foundation
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brain-architecture/#neuron-footnote Global Annual Results Report 2021: Goal Diets in Early Life. Child Nutrition Report.
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28 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD

© United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
July 2023
Permission is required to reproduce any part of this publication.
Permissions will be freely granted to educational or non-profit
organizations.
Published by:
UNICEF
Nutrition and Child Development Section
Programme Group
3 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017, USA

30 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT | UNICEF VISION FOR EVERY CHILD