Inclusive ECCD: - Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and ...

Activities
of the
Partners
Inter-American
Development Bank
The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) convened a Workshop
on Children, Poverty and Violence on April 1–2, 1998 in order to initiate a
dialogue between researchers and practitioners in the field of early
human development. The workshop’s objectives included: identifying
successful interventions in prevention and rehabilitation; defining a
research agenda to improve the identification of essential packages of
services; facilitating the establishment of networks at various levels;
and translating these items into steps to carry forward initiatives on
early human development.
Three types of participants were invited: 1) representatives of government
agencies and civil society organizations with projects in
early childhood development; 2) researchers who have explored relationships
between early human development and health, education,
violence and productivity; and 3) IADB staff from country and central
offices responsible for these types of programs.
The first half-day was devoted to presentations. IADB staff
described the Bank’s activities in supporting human development initiatives
and violence prevention (from a historical perspective and by
region). Researchers from the Canadian Institute of Advanced
Research (CIAR) then made presentations on several topics, among
them: early childhood development; neuroscience and social policy;
childhood, violence and delinquency; community-based interventions;
head-start programs in indigenous communities; and prevention
and rehabilitation of antisocial behavior.
Participants then identified topics for discussion and formed working
groups, based on age categories (0–5, 6–12, and 13–20 years). These
groups met separately and used an open space methodology to draw out
conclusions on various topics, including the characteristics of the given
age category, principal risk factors, interventions, role of the government,
private sector and media, and a strategy for the future. They also
developed recommendations in connection to the objectives of the
workshop. During the final plenary session, the working groups presented
their recommendations and participants made closing comments.
Overall, the workshop arrived at three major conclusions:
There are many promising interventions aimed at improving early
human development of children at risk in the countries of Latin
America and the Caribbean. Most of them are based in NGOs that
lack a strong institutional and financial basis. Therefore, there is a
need to improve the sustainability of these efforts.
The considerable leverage that the IADB has with governments and
the private sector should be used for the promotion of early human
development programs.
Research on early human development has been done mostly in
developed countries, where community structures and availability of
services are better. Therefore, there is a need to undertake research
and conduct evaluations of interventions developed in the countries
of the region.
Network Notes COORDINATORS’ NOTEBOOK, ISSUE 22
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