• EFA Global Monitoring Report 2007

Early childhood is defined as the period from birth to 8 years old. A time of remarkable brain development, these years lay the foundation for subsequent learning.  

In the developing world, 10.5 million children under 5 die from preventable diseases every year.

UNESCO advocates for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programmes that attend to health, nutrition, security and learning and which provide for children's holistic development. ECCE is part of a range of programmes that promote inclusive education.