Why the world needs the first-ever summit on early years finance

Children affected by displacement at a learning centre run by the Maple Leaf Early Years Foundation in Nigeria. Quality education is crucial for young children’s life chances  (Theirworld)

Everyone accepts that all children deserve the best start in life. Quality care and pre-primary education give young children the platform to succeed at school, fulfil their potential and benefit their families, communities and countries.

And yet half of the world’s children are still missing out on those basic needs. Something has to change – and quickly.

There is hope on the horizon, with the announcement of the first-ever International Finance Summit for Early Childhood. The summit, to be held in 2027, is a unique chance for governments, financial institutions, donors and private investors to come together, with the aim of securing the investments needed to transform lifelong outcomes for all children by 2030.

It is backed by a United Nations high-level advisory group that includes UNICEF, UNESCO and  the World Bank.

Here we look at the early years crisis, why a summit is needed and what the outcomes could be.

 

Why the early years are so important

The first five to six years of a child’s life are crucial – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. That’s because 90% of brain development occurs at this age and patterns of learning and behaviour are set for the future.

When countries invest in quality childcare and preschool education for all, they are shaping the next generation of citizens who will thrive and drive their economies forward. This investment breaks cycles of poverty, supports millions of women in the workforce and builds the skilled, capable societies of tomorrow.

But this opportunity is being wasted for millions of children.

The promises already made

In 2015, every country in the world pledged at the United Nations to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The education targets included ensuring all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so they are ready for primary education and to thrive at secondary school and beyond.

We’re now two-thirds of the way to 2030 but only halfway towards achieving the education targets. Globally, 50% of all children are missing out on quality care and preschool learning. It’s often the children most marginalised – those with disabilities, caught in conflict or living in extreme poverty – who are most likely to be affected. To deliver, we must move from promises to bold, coordinated action.

What some countries are doing to invest in early years

Many nations are on track to give every child the best start in life. As a result, they will be meeting the challenges of the future better than the others.

For example, Brazil has launched a bold plan to transform the lives of millions of children and strengthen the country’s role as a global leader in tackling inequality from the start of life. In countries facing conflict and crisis, such as Ukraine and Jordan, early childhood support is also being prioritised as a vital part of emergency response and national recovery. Many other nations are stepping up for the early years.

For those countries that have not invested sufficiently, the choice for their governments is stark – catch up fast or risk their children being left behind.

The Act For Early Years goals

The Act For Early Years campaign was launched in 2023 to raise awareness of, and call for action on, the lack of investment in the under-fives. We have been pushing for urgent investment by governments to end the early years crisis and ensure every child has access to high-quality and nurturing care and preschool education.

The 2027 finance summit is one of two major calls to action – the other is for least $1 billion in new funding commitments from governments, international donors, businesses and philanthropic donors.

Why an early years summit is vital

With many countries at risk of falling behind and failing their children, the 2027 summit offers a unique opportunity for meaningful and long-lasting action.

If the world is going to deliver on the education promises made in the Sustainable Development Goals, we must rethink how early childhood is financed. The summit is a chance to mobilise new financing, redirect domestic spending, create innovative partnerships and bring private investment to early childhood. It will put the early years where they belong at the heart of how countries plan for the future.

Who will attend the summit

The event will bring together leaders of national and local governments, business, philanthropy, civil society and multilateral institutions to forge bold action and financing commitments. Attendees will include presidents and prime ministers, and heads of UN agencies and global funds.

What the summit will address

This is a chance to move beyond talk and take coordinated, high-impact action to make early childhood a defining priority of this decade. The summit will provide a platform for new commitments, explore cross-sector partnerships and new financing solutions, and will include a public forum on how to deliver quality services and ensure every young child has access to learning.

The event will aim to achieve:

• New commitments to sustainable financing and family-friendly policies, with a strong emphasis on domestic leadership and investment.
• Expansion of equitable, universal access to quality primary healthcare, quality preschool education, and family support and play, especially for the most disadvantaged.
• Sharing best practice and forging innovative partnerships that drive smart, scalable and sustainable solutions across sectors and regions.

As part of the Act For Early Years campaign, a panel of experts has launched a process to identify ‘Smart Buys’ for early childhood. Some initial findings have been revealed, including a set of cost-effective measures that can deliver dramatic results for young children.

Learn more about the ‘Smart Buys’ process

Roadmap to the summit and beyond

Governments will be invited to attend and confirm their commitment to investing in the early years. National consultations will be held with a variety of stakeholders including government ministries, municipal leaders, early childhood professionals, business leaders and civil society.

This will shape commitments to be made by countries at the summit. Forward-thinking governments will arrive ready to lead with real commitments to fund what works.

After the event in 2027, governments and partners will finalise their plans and budgets, then start delivering their actions. These will be implemented and monitored through to 2030.