Early Childhood Development (ECD)
Intro
Improved nutrition benefits child development outcomes. Investing in multisectoral nutrition strategies both directly and indirectly improves the lives of children.
Integrating nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive actions throughout child development programming is a cost-effective way of reducing malnutrition, building human capital, and accelerating sustainable development.
Why
Why the sector needs to get involved
- The cognitive development implications of undernutrition for under 5 years old has a long- term impact on human capital.
- Investing in improving nutrition through child development programming helps to accelerate realization of all the SDGs.
Key asks
- Integrate nutritious food in the early childhood care programs through a domestic budget line.
- Collate, analyze, plan for, and monitor, the improvement of nutrition outcomes focusing on the first 2,000 days from conception to age 5 years.
- Provide education and support around care and feeding practices for caregivers and children.
