Act For Early Years is a global campaign dedicated to ensuring that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and preschool education–vital for school readiness and lifelong well-being. Investing in a child’s earliest years is one of the most powerful ways to break cycles of poverty and build a more equitable world. It also has a direct impact on economic participation and the skills the next generation will bring to a rapidly changing society.
Today more than half of the world’s children do not have access to the childcare they need and most children are not enrolled in early education. During these crucial years, 90% of a child’s brain development takes place.
At the same time, more than a quarter of parents say they have quit a job or dropped out of their studies to avoid childcare costs and $3 billion in revenue is lost annually because of employee absenteeism due to childcare breakdowns.
Lack of investment in the early years hinders the full potential of tomorrow’s talent, with consequences for society and economies. The early years crisis is not just an issue for families, and it’s costing businesses billions.
Producing evidence-based reports, like The Business Case for Investing in the Early Years, providing concrete actions tied to business goals in support of the early years.
Convening cross-sectoral events to share best practices, establish new partnerships and encourage investment in the early years.
Providing thought leadership on the business agenda for engagement in the early years
Engaging with companies to identify platforms and opportunities to lead on the early years
This is a broad international campaign of frontline workers and experts, youth and business leaders, media and civil society, to ensure a decade of action for the early years. Our goal is to end the early years crisis by driving political action and spearheading a transformation in early years outcomes for the next generation of children
