Act for Early Years a Theirworld Campaign

Join us and add your organisation’s name to a joint letter urging President Lula da Silva to champion the world’s youngest children as a critical part of Brazil’s G20 Presidency.

Letter to President Lula da Silva

Dear Mr President,

We, the organisations from around the world who support action on early childhood development congratulate you on your prestigious role as incoming Chair of the G20.   

We support your leadership on tackling the climate crisis as young children will be the most affected by this huge issue for the planet’s future. They will face more extreme weather events than their grandparents’ generation: seven times as many heat waves, twice as many wildfires and three times as many droughts, crop failures and river floods.

Alongside the impacts of climate change, over the past few years a confluence of factors and overlapping crises have derailed decades of progress and will require a renewed urgency to address threats and risks to young children and their families. These interlinked crises have increased poverty, food insecurity, learning losses, displacement and migration of children, and mental health issues, and have ultimately driven the Sustainable Development Goals and other global targets off track.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of the high returns of investing in early years programs, there is a woeful lack of public funding for the under 5 age group and we are facing a global early years crisis where more than half of the world’s young children are missing out on the early years childcare and preschool they urgently need.

This lack of investment has a devastating impact on a child’s future as they start school already behind their peers, deepening inequality and impacting their future chances in life and ability to cope with future crises, not of their making. Existing gender norms also mean the brunt of the global childcare crisis falls on women, with high childcare costs or lack of availability the main reason why women cannot enter into or must leave the workforce. This can have a cascading impact on gender inequality.

Five years ago, the Development Working Group of the G20 launched a new Initiative for Early Childhood Development as the foundation for creating fair and sustainable societies. The Development Working Group called for closer examination of national investments in young children given the well-documented return on investment. However, progress has been blown off course due to the Covid-19 pandemic and other global crises.

We are calling on you to revitalise the G20 Initiative for Early Childhood Development and support new commitments that prioritise investment in the early years. Given Brazil has been a leader in child’s rights and investing in early childhood development policies and programs, we urge you to carry this mantle of leadership as you take over the chair of G20.

It is time for governments to act for early years and make the necessary investments so that every child gets the best start in life.

Sincerely,

Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN) The LEGO Foundation Theirworld 
UNICEF World Vision International Plan International Brasil
Global Partnership for Education (GPE) International Rescue Committee Visão Mundial Brasil
Early Education and Childcare Coalition British Association for Early Childhood Education  The Innovative Child Network
Bernard Van Leer Foundation Rede Nacional Primeira Infância Instituto da Infancia (IFAN)
Roger Federer Foundation Sesame Workshop Fundação Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal
Moving Minds Alliance Right To Play International Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC)
Africa Early Childhood Network (AfECN) Echidna Giving Kidogo
VVOB – Education for Development Tanzania Early Childhood Education and Care-TECEC Movimento BH pela Infância
International Center for Research and Policy on Childhood Chance for Childhood Thaki
Tanzania ECD Network (TECDEN) Learning Planet PROMUNDO
Unbounded Associates Think Equal AREPI-Acolhervc SC
Learn to Play Results Canada CEIIAS Centro de Estudos Integrados, Infância, Adolescência,Saúde
viaEd Philanthropy Primeira Infância Campineira FEIRN/REPI/SME
Aliança pela Infância Civil Society Action Coalition on Education For All Instituto Árvores Vivas para Conservação e Cultura Ambiental
Take Action Global Instituto Avisa Lá Formação Continuada de Educadores INSTITUTO PIPA
We Are One Foundation Instituto Jardins da Infância KIDS
Strong Starts for Success Brighter Children, Inc. Street Child Pakistan
Comitê das Crianças de Jundiaí-SP Fundação Lucia e Pelerson Penido – FLUPP Ninar – Núcleo de Estudos Psicanalíticos
Prefeitura Municipal de Patos-Pb Tempojunto Fundação Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal
Usina da Imaginação Zelo Consultoria em Educação e Desenvolvimento Infantil REDE ESTADUAL PRIMEIRA INFÃNCIA DE ALAGOAS
RODISON ED. CULTURA LTDA Andi Children Care Foundation 
Integra – Centro de Desenvolvimento Humano Relacional Associação Comunitária Monte Azul Social innovation Croatia
Avante-Educação e Mobilização Social CSYM Huduma Christian Spiritual Youth Ministry YLO Tanzania Global Alliance For Public Health Intervention (GAPHI)
Viana & Moura construções Mustard Seed Global Children Initiative Club Hills and Valleys Foundation
Girl Child For Sustainable Future Foundation Youth Building The Future Global Discover-I
Educate the Nomadic Child (ENCi) Chiragh Educational Welfare Society-(CEWS) Early Years Learning Initiative
Climate Governance Movement Barrier Breakers Youth Initiative Chaman Ara Foundation
Dharmic Uganda Zeka ltd AIA International Foundation
Enable the disable action EDA Youth Action For Sustainable and Eco Nepal YARD-Liberia
Sustainable afrika Nedeevah aid Foundation Access Bank Fifth Chukker School, Kaduna Nigeria
Back to school youth initiative group Chiragh Educational Welfare Society-(CEWS) Community Participation In Sustainable Development (COMPSUDEV)
Infinite hope for vulnerable Africa Barrier Breakers Youth Initiative Inspirational Leadership Movement
Storypen Opportunities Learning Planet Aidchild
HODARI Foundation The Innovative Child Network Students Against Corruption
Colectivo Feminista y LGTBIAQ+ Somos Parte Del Mundo JZT – jehaad for zero thalassemia Tujifunze Africa Foundation
Magisterial Speaks Éducation, Migration, Peace and Development YOCAI
Magic Breakfast The Kesho Alliance Jeunes pour le Développement Citoyen et Culturel (JDCC)
Redes da Maré Bow Consultancy Services Web Radio Casileoca
HODARI Foundation Students Against Corruption Center for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh
Jeune idée verte
Ducklings Early Years Ltd FIABCI-CANADA international Real Estate Federation
Hummingbird Foundation Atulya Vikas Foundation Global Youths in Action For Sustainable Developments
Rural educational improvement and development Centre for Early Childhood Development Fundación ReachingU
Sickle Cell Action Foundation Instituto Alana Contos e Danças
Action des Volontaires pour la Solidarité et le Développement YOTA – Youth Opportunity and Transportation in Africa Women’s Budget Group
Instituto Perifa Sustentavel Asociación Galega de Atención Temperá Perkins School for the Blind
Lesley Foundation Dingley’s Promise National Womens Safety Alliance
Global Enviro-Action Unique Foundation The Gambia Shine Epilepsy Support Organization
Late Starters Educational Foundation Kubbi Community Project E. HER
Curtin Child Learning Centre (CLICCS) Matty Educational Services Today for tomorrow
Kimas (Kitovu Cha Maendeleo Safi) Promotion of integrated development and relief services (PIDERS) Umoja wa wawezeshaji KIOO
Social Vision Group Tanzania Action for Social and Economic Development Elimu Community Light
WAA&P Women Against AIDS and Poverty Mbulu Tanzania East Africa COEL – Women Elders Learning Initiatives Organization Sri Lanka BTS Army Help Center
Intercare Organization NZICL Children in Crossfire
SDGs NiMSA iPledge Foundation MDG Millennium Foundation
Centre for Environmental Research and Agriculture Innovations (CERAI) Sawa Wanawake Tanzania (SAWA) Wekeza Child Generation Organization
Rights for Disability Development Foundation Arigatou International Nyanza Development Organization
Tanzania Development and AIDS Prevention Association (TADEPA) Youth Proudly Space Jigjiga City Youths Leadership
Tanzania Youth Espouse for Gender and Development (TYEGD) RESDA Ubs Chandigarh

 

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