Launch of the ECD Country Profiles for 197 Countries

The early childhood development profiles were first published in 2018 for 91 countries. They now include 197 countries, including 63 high-income countries, and 42 indicators, based on the nurturing care framework, which includes the domains of good health, adequate nutrition, security & safety, early learning, and responsive caregiving. UNICEF and the Countdown Working Group on Early Childhood Development – chaired by Prof. Linda Richter of the CoE-HUMAN – are the lead contributors.

Country profiles are widely used by many audiences for various purposes. For example, civil society organizations may use them as an accountability tool; country governments may use the data for planning and priority setting; and academic and research partners may analyse them to assess trends over time.

The profiles have been translated into 4 additional languages – Arabic, French, Russian, Spanish. A regional brochure focusing on the Asia-Pacific region has been developed due to increased interest. This was launched at the 2022 Asia-Pacific Regional Virtual Conference on Early Childhood Development hosted by ARNEC.

The profiles were launched on December 14, 2021, in collaboration with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.

A video explaining the profiles and their importance has been developed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHcEL9xZ7Lk&feature=youtu.be