UNESCO. General Conference; 36th; 36 C/5: volume 1: Draft ...

Meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals, it will place particular focus
on ensuring quality and promoting smooth progression through the different stages of education and
training, while facilitating flexible learning pathways and innovative means of education provision.
Equitable access to all levels of education will be promoted, with particular attention being paid to
improving the quality and equality of the opportunities available to girls and women.
Early childhood care and education
01036 Access to quality early childhood care and education (ECCE) significantly improves learning outcomes
in later years. In line with the “Moscow Framework for Action and Cooperation: Harnessing the Wealth
of Nations” adopted at the first World Conference on ECCE held in 2010, UNESCO will promote
inclusive and quality ECCE as part of the right to education and as a foundation for equitable and
inclusive development.
01037 In carrying out its strategic actions, two main approaches will be taken. First, UNESCO will promote
a sector-wide as well as a multi-sectoral approach to ECCE, in order strengthen a holistic approach to
child development. Attention will be paid to enhancing the role of family members in supporting young
children’s development from birth, and to improving the transition from ECCE to primary education
in order to ensure balanced sector development and enhance children’s readiness for school and for
life. Second, well-designed ECCE will be promoted as an important strategy for gender equality, since it
enables mothers to participate in economic activities, frees female siblings from childcare responsibility
and enables them to attend school, and encourages equal treatment and opportunities for both girls
and boys from early childhood.
01038 UNESCO will support Member States to develop and implement inclusive and quality ECCE through:
(a)
(b)
(c)
Targeted evidence-based advocacy, including through regional advocacy meetings, which will
aim to increase Member States’ awareness of the crucial importance of scaling up and improving
ECCE, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children;
Support to the review and development of feasible policy and programme options and
strategies. In order to provide a solid evidence basis for this work, knowledge will be generated
through the documentation, analysis and dissemination of good practices on expanding ECCE
with equity and quality;
Systematic monitoring of progress toward EFA Goal 1. This will be facilitated through the
development of an instrument for the holistic monitoring of the progress in close collaboration
and consultation with Member States and other key stakeholders.
01039 This work will be implemented through intensified networking, collaboration and dialogue with
partners such as the other EFA convening agencies including the United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF); the World Health Organization; relevant UNESCO Chairs and centres of excellence; and
key networks. Special attention will be paid to supporting Member States that are at the highest risk of
not achieving EFA Goal 1 – sub-Saharan Africa, South and West Asia and the Arab States – targeting,
within those countries, the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children who stand to gain the most
from comprehensive ECCE interventions from a very early age.
37 36 C/5 – Major Programme I