Global report on early childhood care and education: the right to a strong foundation

This is the first global report on global and regional Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) trends, jointly published by UNESCO and UNICEF. The report is a key response to the commitments outlined in the 2022 Tashkent Declaration and Commitments to Action for Transforming Early Childhood Care and Education. It synthesizes scientific evidence on ECCE’s importance, exposing persistent gaps in policy and investment. It illustrates how countries have responded to providing equitable and quality ECCE opportunities.

The report emphasizes the importance of quality teacher-child interactions on children’s cognitive and social-emotional development, and the consequent negative impact of the lack of pedagogical training and teacher shortages on the quality of pre-primary education.