150+ early childhood organisations urge G20 to address early years crisis

• Signatories including Lego Foundation, UNESCO, UNICEF and the International Rescue Committee urge G20 to boost investment in the under-fives
• Currently, half of pre-primary children globally are not enrolled in any form of early education
• Experts say investing in the early years is both 国产视频渁 moral must and a strategic win for the G20国产视频�

Leading global charities have called on the G20 to take urgent action to address the severe lack of funding in early childhood care and education.

Their appeal addresses the dire need of hundreds of millions of children who are missing out on childcare or pre-primary education.

In an open letter to Brazil国产视频檚 President Lula da Silva – who takes over the presidency of the G20 on December 1 – the organisations say that world leaders are ignoring the overwhelming evidence of the benefits of investing in the early years, putting children国产视频檚 futures unnecessarily at risk.

It was signed by more than 150 prominent early childhood organisations from around the world, including UNICEF, UNESCO, the Lego Foundation, the Roger Federer Foundation, Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee, as well as many organisations in Brazil including Funda莽茫o Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal.

More than half of the world国产视频檚 children 国产视频� 350 million 国产视频� do not have access to the childcare they need and about half of pre-primary aged children are not enrolled in any form of early education.

国产视频淒espite the overwhelming evidence of the high returns of investing in early years programs, there is a woeful lack of public funding for the under-five age group and we are facing a global early years crisis where more than half of the world国产视频檚 young children are missing out on the early years childcare and preschool they urgently need,国产视频� says the letter, which has been coordinated by the Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN) and 国产视频,

国产视频淭his lack of investment has a devastating impact on a child国产视频檚 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.

国产视频淓xisting 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 or must leave the workforce.国产视频�

The signatories are calling on the G20 to revive a pledge they made in 2018 to invest in the early years, which has been blown off course by the Covid-19 pandemic and global economic downturn.

President Lula da Silva has announced the G20国产视频檚 theme will be a 国产视频渂uilding a fair world and a sustainable planet国产视频�.

But experts argue that ambition can only be met by increasing investment in the early years.

He continued: 国产视频淏razil has set a vision of building 国产视频榓 fair world and a sustainable planet国产视频�. Early years care is vital in that mission – it国产视频檚 when the building blocks for a prosperous and equitable future for everyone are laid. The undeniable reality is that without early years support children are at risk of going through life with poorer physical and mental health. They face a struggle to learn and, later, to earn a living.国产视频�

Sarah Brown, Chair of 国产视频, said: 国产视频淭he first five years of a child国产视频檚 life are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for children to flourish, but children in rich and poor countries alike are being let down on a global scale. This has huge ramifications for everyone, not least women who disproportionately bear the brunt of the childcare crisis, forcing them to leave the workforce because of unaffordable nursery fees.

国产视频淭he G20 poses a fantastic opportunity to change this, giving leading nations the chance to pledge to end the global early years crisis. It国产视频檚 time governments step up and provide young children the best opportunity to build a better and brighter future.国产视频�

The letter is part of the growing global Act For Early Years campaign, which is supported by hundreds of children国产视频檚 organisations, businesses, celebrities and youth activists.

The campaign is calling for a transformation in the provision of early years care and support. It is backed by an extensive and国产视频痟ard-hitting report, which lays bare the scale of the early years crisis.

Elizabeth Lule, Executive Director of ECDAN, said: “The benefits of high-quality childcare are well documented 国产视频� and they cascade across society.

国产视频淐hildren benefit by being exposed to stimulating environments at a critical time in their development. Women benefit from having the opportunity to remain in or enter the workforce and build financial independence. And local and national economies benefit as new jobs are created, family incomes grow, and tax revenue expands.国产视频�

The letter asks President Lula da Silva, whose country has been a leader in child rights and investing in early childhood development, 国产视频渢o carry this mantle of leadership as you take over the chair of G20国产视频�.