Staff Reporter
Policymakers and academics in early childhood development (ECD) have called on Pakistan’s government to adopt a more comprehensive approach to the field in order to enhance its far-reaching impact on human and social development.
Speakers at the AKU’s International Conference on Nutrition and Early Human Development noted that the ECD explores how a child’s early years of development set the foundation for the attainment of their full physical, emotional and cognitive potential.
Across the developing world, 249 million under 5s are not reaching their full potential, according to The Lancet. Research shows that a $1 investment in ECD results in up to $17 worth of dividends for society.
However, experts at the conference noted that most governments fail to achieve these gains since ECD policies are narrowly viewed through the lens of healthcare or education.
“A thriving child needs access to much more than just healthcare and education,” said Dr Ghazala Rafique, director of the AKU’s Human Development Programme (HDP) in Pakistan and conference co-chair.
Adequate nutrition, equal access to opportunities and a safe, stimulating home environment are some of the many other determinants of a child’s wellbeing that fall outside the remit of single ministries, Dr Rafique added. “Poor policymaking and strategies in any one of these areas has knock-on effects on Pakistan’s other social indicators, which is why integrated planning in early childhood development is so important.”
