Protecting Early Childhood Education in Times of Crisis

At a UNESCO side event during the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, global education and human rights organizations discussed how to protect early childhood care and education (ECCE) during crises. The Right to Education Initiative (RTE) emphasized that early education must be treated as a fundamental human right, even in conflict and emergency contexts. RTE introduced new monitoring tools and indicators designed to track whether governments are prepared for education disruptions and how effectively they respond and recover during crises.

Participants highlighted several key challenges. Reliable data on education,especially regarding the growing role of private actors in early education,remains limited, making it difficult to design effective policies. International organizations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, UNHCR, and WHO also stressed that early childhood development goes beyond schooling and must include mental health, community support, and family environments. UNICEF’s “Five Million Futures” initiative aims to expand access to inclusive early childhood education for children affected by crisis, while WHO’s Nurturing Care Framework emphasizes that care and learning begin within families and communities.

Countries including Denmark, Colombia, South Sudan, Luxembourg, and the Maldives shared national experiences, noting that community-based initiatives and flexible policy responses are essential during emergencies. Experts also warned that barriers such as lack of legal status or identity documents should never prevent children from accessing early education.

For someone closely following global education and human rights issues, this discussion highlights an important truth: education inequality often begins long before formal schooling starts. When crises disrupt early childhood education, the consequences can shape a child’s entire future. Understanding how early education systems are protected,or neglected,offers a powerful lens for examining global justice and the long-term stability of societies.

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