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Focus Areas
The CG operates through a Secretariat and Executive Board which draws on the wider group of Partners and Associates as well as others’ work, knowledge and expertise for its dissemination, awareness-raising and advocacy work.
The CG works actively to identify gaps and emerging areas of need and interest related to ECCD as well the dissemination of those results. This is done through the review of current practice and understanding and/or carrying out new piloting and action research on particular topics with the leadership and involvement of some of our donor and regional partners.
Following a period of extensive reflection, evaluation and planning, the CGECCD revised and consolidated its organisational framework, developed a medium-term Strategic Framework, drafted and approved Bylaws that aim to guide the overall relations and work of the CG, elected an Executive Board, agreed to broaden its associations and partners groups while remaining with and building upon the CG base at Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada.
Key Advocacy Messages: The 4 CORNERSTONES
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Note: A set of Briefs for each Cornerstone are currently being prepared and will be posted here shortly.
The 2007 Education for All Global Monitoring Report: Strong Foundations was released in October 2006 with an international event held at UNICEF in New York City. Taking advantage of this important event, the Consultative Group convened a special session at their annual consultation to begin to answer the question: what programs and policies should be in place to help assure the early development of children?
Participants from all regions of the world contributed to the development of 4 Cornerstones, or key messages about early childhood development. Since we know that there is no magic age or program, the cornerstones are meant to reflect the developmental spectrum of early childhood from prenatal through the early primary grades. Moreover, given that investments in early childhood vary tremendously across regions, the cornerstones were meant to be adapted to the particular needs and issues emerging at the country and community level.
In June 2007, the Cornerstones were discussed and revised at a meeting of Consultative Group partners and others held at UNESCO in Paris. International organizations and regional networks were asked to share these key messages and to provide ongoing feedback so that the Cornerstones can remain a living document. Naturally using these key messages raises a number of questions, particularly when helping to develop a specific policy agenda. In sharing the cornerstones, you might ask:
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What do these statements mean for our community, country or region?
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In what areas are we doing well? Where do we need the most improvements?
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How can we use these cornerstones to raise public awareness and to gain more consensus around a policy agenda? Where would we start? Which area needs the most attention?
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Given our particular needs, what messages are missing? What other goals are important ?
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How can we use these messages to help build the capacity of the field of early childhood to take action on behalf of young children?
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How can we use these key messages with policymakers? Media? Other new champions for young children?
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What special events can be planned throughout the year that can highlight promising initiatives around each message?
As the importance of the early years gains recognition, we will come under increasing pressure to define what we want policymakers to do. Remember these messages are only a beginning, you can make them come alive when discussing them in the context of your community and country. Please continue to let us know how you use these cornerstones, what works and what needs further revision.
CG Advocacy Strategy and Working Groups
Recognising the strengths of the CGECCD as a global coalition that facilitates influential “knowledge-networking” and advocacy processes aimed at influencing decision-makers and development partners working within the Majority and Minority World contexts, the CG is proposing a framework for advocacy to continue to move our work forward both globally and on a regional/national level. The four strategies are:
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Building capacity of the early childhood field and others to advocate for increased attention to/investment in Early Childhood
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Monitoring Policy
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Influencing International agencies/initiatives
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Reaching out to New Champions
Please revisit us later in November following our Annual Consultation for additional information.
In addition the CG will AIM to Move ECCD Principles To Action by:
Focusing on:
Five Key Focus Areas and identifying how they relate to and feed into Global Frameworks and Agendas including EFA, MDG's, PRSPs and SWAPs:
- Costs, Financing and Resource Mobilization for Quality ECCD
- ECCD in Emergencies
- ECCD response to HIV/AIDS
- Leadership and Management of ECCD in the Majority World: The Challenges of Human Resource Development
- ECCD Quality and Diversity
Through:
Working Groups related to each focus area, as Key Mechanisms for knowledge generation, and evidence-based communications and advocacy
Ensuring:
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Specific attention to the rights of infants & young children in all ECCD age groups
including pre-natal - 3, 4 - 5, 6 – 8;
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marginalised and disadvantaged young children
See Sub-Menu Bar for links to each Working Groups and the Global Frameworks and Agendas.
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