Abstract
Children's environments - especially relationships with caregivers - sculpt not only developing brains but also multiple bio-behavioral systems that influence long-term cognitive and socioemotional outcomes, including the ability to empathize with others and interact in prosocial and peaceful ways. This speaks to the importance of investing resources in effective and timely programs that work to enhance early childhood development (ECD) and, by extension, reach communities at-scale. Given the limited resources currently devoted to ECD services, and the devastating impact of COVID-19 on children and communities, there is a clear need to spur government leaders and policymakers to further invest in ECD and related issues including gender and racial equity. This essay offers concrete examples of scholarly paradigms and leadership efforts that focus on child development to build a peaceful, equitable, just, and sustainable world. As scholars and practitioners, we need to continue to design, implement, assess, and revise high-quality child development programs that generate much-needed evidence for policy and programmatic changes. We must also invest in global partnerships to foster the next generation of scholars, practitioners, and advocates dedicated to advance our understanding of the bio-behavioral systems that underlie love, sociality, and peace across generations. Especially where supported by structural interventions, ECD programs can help create more peaceful, just, and socially equitable societies.
Highlights
The case for the importance of early childhood development (ECD) has been made
Journal Pre-proof currently devoted to ECD services, and the devastating impact of COVID-19 on children and communities, there is a clear need to spur government leaders and policymakers to further invest in ECD and related issues including gender and racial equity
We review the leadership efforts of nongovernmental organizations such as the Early Childhood Peace Consortium (ECPC) and the Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN), Journal Pre-proof which seek to inform policymakers and encourage them to improve existing ECD systems
Summary
The case for the importance of early childhood development (ECD) has been made. To-date, scholars and practitioners from across the biological and social sciences - including anthropology, economics, education, global health, neurobiology, pediatrics, psychology, and social work - have clearly documented the impacts of early life events and social relationships for developmental trajectories and later-life neuropsychosocial health. The transformative policies recommended by UNICEF to support children during the COVID-19 pandemic include: ensure all children learn by closing the digital divide; guarantee access to health and nutrition services, and make vaccines affordable and available; support and protect mental health, and take steps to bring an end to abuse, gender-based violence, and neglect in childhood; increase access to clean water, sanitation and take steps to address the impact of climate change; reverse the rise in child poverty and ensure an inclusive recovery for all by providing paid parental leave; and mitigate the vulnerability imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on migrant, displaced, and refugee children, as well as those living in crisis-affected countries. By incorporating ECD strategies, children and youth-based peacebuilding initiatives may further increase the degree of participant self-transformation These interventions can have a multiplier effect if Journal Pre-proof participating children and youth are explicitly educated about the importance of ECD, nurturing care, in relation to their human development and capacity to build more peaceful communities.
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