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Core Activities
This section is currently being revised.
The Coordinators' Notebook
The Coordinators' Notebook is disseminated (free of charge) to over 3,000 networks, groups and individuals in the Majority (Developing) World working on issues affecting children. Individuals and organizations i.e. international NGO’s, donor agencies etc. in the Minority World (e.g. North America, Western Europe) can subscribe to the Notebook.
The Notebook comprises a focussed, issue-based article, identified through feedback from partners and/or emerging gaps and priorities in the field. Each Notebook has a main article with related case studies, which draw upon experiences from around the world. The Notebook is currently translated into Spanish with plans underway for translations into various languages.
The publication of the Coordinators' Notebook is linked to a networking process in which recipients of the notebook are asked to: 1) contribute to it, 2) copy and distribute it to others in their personal knowledge networks, and 3) communicate directly with others whose addresses appear in the notebook in conjunction with reporting of programs or publications or meetings.
The CG Website
The CG website: http://www.ecdgroup.com serves as a resource for organizations and individuals working in ECCD. The site offers detailed information on particular aspects of ECCD as well as working papers, reports written or commissioned by CG consortium and regional partners and/or by the secretariat over the years as well as on-line resources and non-electronic resources relating to young children (0-8) and their families. The website links to regional networks and websites and provides a public forum as well as a conference room for members only.
The CD ROM on ECCD: ‘Programming Resources for Early Childhood Care and Development’
The CD-ROM and Manual on ECCD* was created by The Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development, in collaboration with The World Bank Institute and produced in partnership with Aga Khan Foundation, Bernard van Leer Foundation, Christian Children’s Fund, UNICEF, and UNESCO. The manual is currently available in Spanish, Arabic, French and Russian.
Aimed at development professionals, program planners, trainers, policymakers, and child advocates, this resource kit of materials on ECCD offers tools for developing a wide range of programs to strengthen supports for young children, their families, and communities in the “Majority World” (or wherever children are living in poverty and at risk of impeded development).
The CD-ROM includes an easy-to-use Programming Guide (available in hard copy) that details the preparation, planning, implementation, financing, monitoring, and evaluation of diverse ECCD programming strategies. In addition, there are two Media/Communication Sections (Why Early Childhood? and What is ECCD?), which include videos, slide shows, and fact sheets aimed at raising awareness about the need for attention to ECCD. There is also a Library of over 300 background texts, program examples, and print resources on ECCD.
For information on how to order, please see Resources
Presentations and Attendance at Key Fora and Meetings
Education For All (Jomtien, Dakar, ECCD/State of the World’s Children (ECE Edition) Launch, Preparatory meetings for the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children (to be held Sept. 2001)(LINK TO INITIATIVES) and occasional papers: For example, the materials/brochures ‘Eight is too Late’ and ‘Meeting Basic Learning Needs’ were written/commissioned for meetings and general communication needs.
Other Publications
In addition to publishing the Coordinators' Notebookonce a year, the CGECCD, through its Secretariat, has been responsible for producing concept papers, reviews, case studies, digests, evaluations, summaries of meetings, manuals, booklets, a seminal book titled The Twelve Who Survive (see: Resources), by Robert G. Myers and published by High/Scope Press; UNESCO has translated documents/books written by the CG and its members (i.e., ‘Eight is Too Late,’ Robert Myers’ Towards a Fair Start: Programming for Early Childhood Development in the Developing World) into various languages (Arabic, Spanish, French, Chinese, Kiswahili, Portuguese, etc).
Annual General Meeting
The purpose of the Annual Consultation is knowledge and advocacy work as well as partner building. It thus cuts across all three objectives. The meeting is not meant to be a ‘talk shop’ but rather a place for critical reflection and analysis amongst concerned peers and colleagues.
The CGECCD’s Annual Consultation is designed around an agreed theme that is seen to be critical and timely in the field of ECCD. During the Consultation, all CG partners, the Secretariat, the Executive Board as well as other invited and interested individuals and organizations working on the agreed theme come together to review, reflect upon, debate and (eventually) synthesize current practices, gaps, and issues on the selected topic. Thematic discussion papers and/or background materials are prepared and shared at the meeting. Out of the discussions and review of what is happening (or not) on the ground, specific publications are prepared – most commonly the Coordinators’ Notebook, the annual publication of the CGECCD (see below for further details). In addition, new topics and future themes are also identified.
In addition, the Annual Consultation also offers CG partners, the Executive Board and Secretariat staff with the opportunity to
· organize an annual Business Meeting for partners to review and approve work plans and budgets,
· participate in and receive updates from different CG Working Groups
· identify upcoming global events/publications for the coming year and prioritize those where CG leadership and/or participation is critical.
The 2005 annual consultation focused on EFA and the planned Global Monitoring Report on ECCE, thus building on the CG 2004 meeting. During the 2005 meeting, a joint review and dialogue took place between the CG partners and the EFA Monitoring Unit at UNESCO during one of the three days at the request of the Unit staff and as a way to provide specific inputs into the development of this critical international report. This proved to be significant in terms of demonstrating the breadth and depth of ECCD knowledge and experience across the CG partners, which the EFA Unit found extremely useful and timely.
A second area of focus for the 2005 meeting was on the financing and costing of ECCD. Case studies and a range of experiences were highlighted and discussed. Follow-up from the day’s discussion is underway through the work of a new CG Working Group and is expected to result in synthesis materials/publications on this critical topic for dissemination and advocacy purposes.
The 2006 Annual Consultation will focus on:
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The Launch of the GMR on ECCE and CG Follow-Up Plans for a Year of ECCE Advocacy
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Convening of 5 CG Working Groups & Science of ECD: International Version Advisory Group
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Quality ECCD: Making it Possible! - theme of next Coordinators’ Notebook
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Consolidating the CG Strategic Plan 2006 – 2010
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Business / Operations Meeting
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