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Early childhood development (ECD) organisations and programs at the country level are currently experiencing substantial challenges due to a decline in public financing. This decline is partly attributed to the combined impact of post-pandemic budgetary constraints and the evermore urgent requirements to address climate change, environmental degradation, and other public health risks.

Furthermore, a serious decrease in overseas development assistance, particularly as a result of policy shifts in the US, is affecting the capacities of government and non-governmental partners to implement economic and social development priorities that support the well-being of young children, their families, and their communities. In response to this, some of our partners have started to implement cost-saving measures, such as a reduction in international travel, and have been forced to make difficult decisions in terms of reducing staff and canceling projects and programs. All these effects are happening just at a time when young children, especially the most vulnerable, most need to be supported and protected from the multiple crises affecting their well-being.

In these challenging circumstances, ARNEC stands in solidarity with its partners and members who remain steadfast in their commitment to safeguarding ECD gains and addressing shortfalls through more collaborative efforts with more diverse stakeholders. Local governments continue to be among the emerging partners actively advancing the ECD agenda within communities.

Therefore, ARNEC is highlighting the role of effective local governance advancing equitable and inclusive ECD services in the forthcoming Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Early Childhood Development (ECD), organized by ARNEC and hosted by the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council of the Philippines in Metro Manila from July 1-3, 2025 with pre-conference workshops on June 30.

This year’s theme encompasses disability inclusion, gender equity, cultural and linguistic inclusivity, poverty and geographic and urban-rural disparities, and crisis-responsive ECD systems.

By organizing this Conference, we endeavor to convene as many ECD champions and partners as possible, encompassing both traditional and non-traditional supporters and advocates for young children, to engage in discussions regarding these challenges and explore innovative solutions feasible within the highly disruptive environment. The central theme of the conference, which underscores the pivotal role of local governments in ECD, holds relevance in the current context, as lower levels of government may be compelled to assume the responsibilities vacated by larger entities withdrawing from the field.

With this in mind, we are pleased to share the Conference website details and registration link. We strongly encourage you to disseminate this information widely, both within your respective groups and beyond your established spheres of influence, to ensure that we can gather as many voices as possible. Identifying local stakeholders in ECD who might be willing to support conference participation and perhaps even the organisation of the conference itself would be very useful in guaranteeing its success. Our primary objective remains to prioritise the well-being of young children, ensuring that their interests are at the core of our actions and decisions.

Registration Link