A global call to action for early childhood

REGIONAL REPORT: Open Society Institute
59
Recent developments in CEE/CIS: Early Childhood
Programme of the Open Society Institute
The Open Society Institute’s (OSI)
Early Childhood Programme focuses
on expanding access to quality early
childhood development, with special
attention to minorities, children
with disabilities, and children living
in poverty. OSI, a private operating
and grantmaking foundation, aims
to shape public policy to promote
democratic governance, human rights,
and economic, legal, and social reform.
Working in thirty-four countries, the
Early Childhood Programme supports
OSI’s mission through an agenda
based on: (1) increasing human
development potential through
effective early interventions in the lives
of the youngest and most vulnerable
children and their families; (2) holding
governments accountable for their
commitments to young children
and families; and (3) promoting the
development of a vibrant civil society
by fostering children’s participation
skills and critical thinking, engaging
parents and communities to advocate
on behalf of their children, and
supporting a strong early childhood
sector.
Our flagship initiative in
Central Eastern Europe/
Commonwealth of
Independent States
(CEE/CIS): Step by Step
Our flagship initiative is the Step by
Step Programme, which began in 1994
in the CEE/CIS region as a response
to declining social supports for young
children and their families. Designed
for a region with a deep pedagogical
history and a post-communist legacy
of widespread teacher-centred
preschools, the initiative aimed to
introduce child-centredness and
community engagement into strongly
entrenched national preschool and
primary education systems. Over
time it emphasised development of
national NGOs and institutions, formal
evaluation of pilot projects, and
then concerted advocacy to reform
early childhood policies. Programme
models include centre-based services
in crèches, preschools, and schools for
children from birth to age 10, as well
as parenting initiatives and training
sessions that focus on inclusion and
social justice. OSI continues to provide
significant support to twenty-nine
Step by Step NGOs and their regional
network, the International Step by Step
Association (ISSA).
Extending our activities
to Asia, Africa, and the
Middle East
While continuing to enhance our
work in CEE/CIS, we are extending
our activities to three regions: Asia,
Africa, and the Middle East. Our
holistic and interdisciplinary approach
to support children from birth includes
working with a wide group of
education, social service, and health
and welfare providers; communities;
families; and children themselves.
In expanding to new regions, we
work with local partners to develop
the most contextually appropriate
solutions. In 2007, we began to
work in Bangladesh and Liberia, as
well as with Palestinian citizens of
Israel. In Bangladesh, OSI and the
Bangladesh Rural Advancement
Committee (BRAC) University
have developed a postgraduate
programme in child development.
In Liberia, OSI is partnering with the
Ministry of Education to develop a
situation analysis that will inform
ECD policy planning and programme
development. Work with the
Palestinian citizens of Israel will
focus on the development of quality
preschool standards. Plans for 2008
include an early literacy project for
families living on the Thai border of
Burma.
An agenda for advocacy,
policy planning, and
accountability
The Consultative Group’s 4
Cornerstones provide an important
organising framework for our advocacy
efforts. OSI joins international
networks of donors, practitioners,
and researchers to advocate for:
• Increasing international investments
in quality ECD.
• Extending the range of early
childhood programme options
available.
• Ensuring access for minority children
to high quality ECD programmes
that respect and reflect their cultural
diversity.
• Supporting the rights of children
with disabilities to inclusive education.
OSI’s Early Childhood Programme
engages in the development of
national early childhood policies
in accordance with its mission of
extending quality services to children
most at risk. This includes leveraging
funding for ECD through the
Education for All Fast Track Initiative
(FTI) and other development bank
mechanisms, capacity building of
policymakers, preparation of policy
recommendations, and policy planning.
Advocacy is particularly important in
COORDINATORS’ NOTEBOOK: ISSUE 29