Early childhood care in emergencies and fragile contexts
Immediate and life-saving answers for every young girl and boy
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What does it involve?
Early childhood development care in emergency situations is essential, as it provides immediate and vital support from multiple sectors and services that children need, such as housing, health, nutrition, protection, education and psychosocial support in a safe and nurturing environment.
It is important that, in addition to directly supporting young children, care and services are extended to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, fathers and other family members and caregivers.
In addition to causing illness, injury, loss of life and damage to infrastructure, disasters also affect the livelihoods of families. They can cause trauma, stress, family separation, disruption of routines due to changes in housing and schooling, and altered diets.
However, children under 8 years of age continue to be one of the most invisible groups when planning actions aimed at reducing the impacts of disasters. Some reasons may be:
- Attempts are made first to respond to more visible needs, such as housing, food, etc.
- The specific needs of people according to their evolutionary cycle are not considered.
- Young children are considered "too young to realize what is happening".
- There is no sex- or age-disaggregated data showing the impact and specific needs of young children (including newborns) in emergencies and violent contexts.
- The risks to which young children are exposed and the measures that can be taken to prevent or respond appropriately to them are unknown.
- There is a lack of evidence-based knowledge management on the harmful impacts of early childhood emergencies.
Early childhood development and caregivers services in fragile and emergency settings are increasingly essential to end preventable deaths, support the healthy motor and socio-emotional development of newborns and young children, and ensure the overall health and well-being of early childhood.
Why are emergency interventions for early childhood development important and a priority?
Today, millions of young children around the world live in environments that expose them to trauma and multiple deprivations, leaving them at risk of experiencing toxic stress and limiting them from reaching their full developmental potential.
As we know, during the early years of life when rapid and complex brain development occurs, a child can be exceptionally sensitive to environmental influences, as well as to the negative impacts of emergencies and conflicts, including humanitarian crises and migration.
Children who experience prolonged exposure to adverse events, chronic poverty, nutritional deprivation or exposure to violence and conflict are at increased risk of developing cognitive, behavioral and emotional difficulties, which can have multidimensional and long-term impacts in adulthood.
When emergency response targets young children with their mothers, fathers and caregivers, these services have the potential to boost economic recovery and peacebuilding in communities and countries.
What do we do?
We work with government institutions, civil society organizations and associations of emergency specialists.
We advise on response interventions focused on addressing risks and promoting the well-being of pregnant mothers, newborns, young children and caregivers in humanitarian and fragile settings, especially for the most vulnerable populations.
In this way, we contribute to mitigating negative impacts on:
- Babies who are still in utero and depend on the health, nutritional status and healthy habits of their mother and family to develop and be born healthy.
- Infants, toddlers and young children 0-3 years of age who are especially susceptible to harm.
- All young children up to 8 years of age to ensure the realization of their essential rights.
- Parents and caregivers who, experiencing stress in emergency situations, are less able to provide young children with a positive and nurturing environment, leading to these young children being prone to toxic stress.