The African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the African Early Childhood Network (AfECN) is co- convening the Continental Childcare Conference , to be held in Addis Ababa 18th -20th June 2025, under the theme Building Partnerships for Accelerating Action towards Quality & Inclusive Childcare in Africa.
First meeting of Early Childhood Development (ECD) experts in the East African Community (EAC)
The EAC recognizes Early Childhood Development as a critical foundation for human capital development, economic growth, and social equity, aligning with Article 120(c) of the EAC Treaty and the EAC Child Policy (2016). Despite progress, many children under five in the region lack access to quality ECD services. This meeting aimed to consolidate regional efforts, address cross-cutting challenges, harmonize guidelines and validate strategic priorities towards a comprehensive Regional ECD Policy and Action plan, building global commitments like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4.2) and the Nurturing Care Framework.
ECSA-HC responsive caregiving experts’ committee meeting 2025 and learning visit in Zambia
Following a successful 2024 experts meeting held in the sidelines of the East Africa ECD Conference March 2024 in Dar-es-Salaam Tanzania. Among other activities it was proposed by members to consider having some cross-country learning as part of the activities of the experts’ committee. We identified Zambia to share lessons of their community based ECD program Insaka, based on the presentation done during the Health Ministers conference in June 2024 and was further presented at the virtual quarterly meeting in October 2024. Such best practices are aimed to improve outcomes for the region’s children by supporting the effort on the implementation of the Nurturing Care Framework, particularly the responsive caregiving component across the east, central and southern Africa region.
Blog: Tackling learning poverty in Africa: building collaborative partnerships to scale-up early learning assessments in west and central Africa region.
Author: KIX Early Learning Assessment Project Coordination Team
Institution: Africa Early Childhood Network
Access to inclusive and equitable quality education is key to promoting better human capital outcomes, as it leads to accumulation of knowledge and skills needed for socio-economic development of a country. Indeed, when children access quality education measured by better learning outcomes, it builds their capacities in ways that not only contributes to their personal success but also leads to better social wellbeing and productivity. The need for quality education for all children is acknowledged in global and regional frameworks including Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and Africa Agenda 2063. For example, while SDG 4 recognizes the need to provide quality education for all with as special focus on most vulnerable populations, Agenda 2063[1] identifies provision of quality education focused on achieving 100% literacy and numeracy as a key driver to Africa’s prosperity. The agenda calls for universal access to quality early childhood, primary and secondary education, ensuring that no child is left behind, and that the potential of every child is nurtured (Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want).[2]
[1] A blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future.
[2] https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=Agenda+2063
Launch of the compendium of African initiatives to support parents & caregivers of adolescents and young children.
The compendium of African initiatives to support parents and caregivers has a lot to offer for policy and decision-makers, as well as development partners, civil society organisations and implementing organisations.
JOB OPPORTUNITY: RESEARCH, MONITORING EVALUATION AND LEARNING MANAGER
As AfECN continues to expand its impact, effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of its projects and initiatives it is critical in assessing progress, understanding outcomes, and ensuring that evidence is used to shape policies and practices.
Purpose of the Role: The Research Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager will play a key role in supporting this goal by designing, implementing, and managing a robust M&E framework that tracks the effectiveness of AfECN’s initiatives and guides organizational learning.
Welcome to the PATH Early Childhood Development Knowledge Hub
From 2012 to 2024, PATH and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation partnered to support the Ministries of Health in Mozambique and Kenya to design and pilot health system interventions that promote optimal development for the youngest children.
Along that journey other partners and donors joined this endeavour, and Mozambique and Kenya became learning hubs for promoting early childhood development in the health sector. Ethiopia, Zambia, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, and Malawi have subsequently adapted materials and approaches tried and tested in Mozambique and Kenya to their context.
‘’Breaking Ground: Early Childhood Development at the Forefront of the 73rd ECSA-HC Health Ministers’ Conference”
The East Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) organized the 73rd Health Ministers Conference (20-21st June 2024) and 50th Anniversary Commemoration (19th June 2024) which was preceded by the 14th Best Practices Forum (16th-17th June 2024) and the Directors and 30th Directors Joint Consultative Committee (18th June 2024). The main theme of the conference was ‘’50 years of leadership and excellence in regional health collaboration’’. The event was held at Grand Melia Hotel, Arusha, Tanzania. The East, Central and Southern African Health Community (ECSA-HC) is an inter-governmental organization that fosters and promotes regional cooperation in health. Member states of the ECSA Health Community are Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Eswatini, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The guest of honor for the 50th Golden Jubilee Cerebration was the Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. Dr. Philip Isidory Mpango (sitting in the middle in the picture above, surrounded by Honourable Ministers of Health and Heads of Delegation from ECSA HC member states and the Director General of ECSA-HC, Prof. Yoswa Dambisya).
The conference provided a unique opportunity for representatives from 9 ECSA HC member states, development partners, research and training institutions, civil society organizations and other professionals to reflect on the progress made for the past 50 years and strategize on how to strengthen collaboration and tackle health challenges in the region subsequently. AfECN participated in the event and presented on the experiences and lessons from 9 ECSA-HC members on scaling up implementation of Nurturing Care Framework (NCF). The work has been coordinated through the Responsive Caregiving Experts’ Committee constitute of representatives from all the member states, who guide and advise ECSA-HC through the secretariat on all issues related to roll out and implementation of NCF.
The 73rd ECSA HC Health Ministers’ Conference considered and passed 12 resolutions among which ECD features comprehensively under ECSA/HMC73/R5: Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health.
The Health Ministers Conference;
Urges Member States to: -
Accelerate implementation of policies and strengthen surveillance systems for initiatives that address Violence Against Children (VAC) through deliberate allocation of funding and human resources.
Promote institutionalization, multisectoral involvement with defined leadership roles and increased financing to support implementation of the Nurturing Care Framework for Early Childhood Development.
Review and streamline child protection laws to ensure harmonization of legislation at all levels.
Enhance community involvement and partner collaboration on issues of Early Childhood Development and Violence Against Children.
Integrate and implement robust knowledge management systems as mechanisms for accelerated implementation of Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health policies.
Commit to regional and global Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health related commitments and integrate their components into national emergency preparedness and response plans to maintain service continuity.
Contribute to the preparations towards the ministerial conference on VAC in Bogotá, Colombia in November 2024.
Directs the Secretariat to: -
Document and disseminate the findings from the Global and Regional Landscape Analysis efforts, providing opportunities within for dialogue and exchange on best practices.
Provide support to Member States to prepare for the Global Ministerial Conference on VAC in Bogota, Colombia in November 2024.
Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework and track the progress of the implementation of the past resolutions and report during the 75th Health Ministers Conference.
Support Member States in the implementation of the above and the past resolutions.
More information on the event and other resolutions can be found in this link https://ecsahc.org/ecsa-documents
OPPORTUNITY: RESOURCE MOBILIZATION CONSULTANT
The Resource Mobilization Consultant (RMC) will be responsible for the development and capacity building to support implementation of AfECN’s fundraising strategy. The RMC will support establishment of systems to support overall coordination, planning, development, and management of a public and private sector fundraising strategy to mobilize resources and support accountability and transparent reporting.