Since ECCE policies and programmes aim to attain holistic child development, covering aspects related to a child’s health, nutrition, development, education, hygiene and protection, ECCE governance should encompass multisectoral coordination and integrated services. This requires the involvement of different government ministries in decision making, planning and execution. This indicator assesses whether the ECCE system is implemented through multisectoral coordination. If yes, also analyse if any established mechanism exists to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of various ministries involved in the implementation of ECCE including the coordinating ministry.
Convention on the Rights of the Child, Articles 6, 18, 24, 27, 28 , 29 and 31, General Comment No. 7 (paras. 10 and 22).
See also non-binding instruments:
- Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action for the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (para. 37)
- Tashkent Declaration and Commitments to Action for Transforming Early Childhood Care and Education (Commitments to Action for Transforming ECCE, para. 1.vii)
Specific references:
- Committee on the Rights of Child, General Comment No. 7 (para. 22): ‘States parties are urged to develop rights-based, coordinated, multisectoral strategies in order to ensure that children’s best interests are always the starting point for service planning and provision. These should be based around a systematic and integrated approach to law and policy development in relation to all children up to 8 years old.’
- Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action for the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (para. 37): ‘Put in place integrated multisector ECCE policies and strategies, supported by coordination among ministries responsible for nutrition, health, social and child protection, water/sanitation, justice and education, and secure adequate resources for implementation.’
- Tashkent Declaration and Commitments to Action for Transforming Early Childhood Care and Education: ‘Ensure a whole-of-government, multi-sectoral and integrated approach to ECCE policy development, provision and coordination. The multiple dimensions of ECCE require a coordinated approach to governance, financing, and policy development, including with inter-ministerial bodies. ECCE should be embedded within education, health and social development policies, at national and subnational levels, and be costed and financed accordingly.’ (Commitments to Action for Transforming ECCE, para. 5.i). In particular it calls upon Member States to ‘Integrate and strengthen ECCE policies and strategies into whole-of-government, interministerial and multi-sectoral approaches to ECCE planning and budgeting covering all domains of quality ECCE provision, services and programmes.’ (Commitments to Action for Transforming ECCE, para. 1.vii).