<h2>What were the highlights?</h2>
&nbsp;
<ul>
 	<li>For the first time, <strong>all regional ECD networks were represented in-person</strong>, enriching our collective conversations and strengthening partnerships. Beyond the fund’s Annual Meeting, regional network representatives participated on panels throughout the conference, bringing diverse perspectives to regional challenges affecting early childhood.</li>
 	<li><a href="https://somoscrianza.net/"><strong>Somos Crianza</strong></a>, <strong>the newly launched Latin American coalition of ECD networks, was also in attendance</strong> and their establishment was celebrated throughout the conference.</li>
</ul>

<ul>
 	<li><strong>National networks and members from Bhutan, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Malawi, Slovakia, and Tunisia</strong> joined us in a workshop to explore the different kinds of impact generated by ECD networks and the opportunities and challenges they face in capturing communicating that impact to external audience. You can read more about approaches to network impact and measurement in our session report <a href="https://dashboard.ecdnetworksfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Power-of-Networks_Session-Report_Final.docx.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>here</strong></a>.</li>
 	<li>The groundwork was laid for<strong> regional projects to strengthen and promote fatherhood and male engagement in early childhood</strong>. Current work on this issue was presented by each of the regional networks, and partners from Sesame Workshop and Plan International served as critical friends and thought partners in discussion on how to strengthen these approaches. You can find a session report with key insights and next steps <a href="https://dashboard.ecdnetworksfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Fatherhood-and-Male-Engagement_Session-Report_Final.docx.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>here</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>

<ul>
 	<li><strong>Regional network and ECRN Fund representatives were invited to participate in ARNEC’s board meeting</strong>, where each network shared about their unique approach, their membership and governance structures, and some of their key successes in advancing ECD policy and practice in their regions.</li>
 	<li><strong>Old friends were reunited and new friends were made</strong> throughout the sessions and activities organised during the Annual Meeting.</li>
</ul>

<h3>For more details on the session plans, you can review the agenda for our annual meeting: <a href="https://dashboard.ecdnetworksfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Agenda-ECRN-Fund-Annual-Meeting-2729-May.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Annual Meeting 2024 Agenda</a></h3>

<h2>Morning Session: Fatherhood and Male Engagement – kick-off workshop for cross-regional approach</h2>
&nbsp;

This session explored existing challenges and gaps, as well as untapped opportunities, for regional networks to strength and promote fatherhood and male engagement in early childhood. Joined by national networks, members, and technical experts working on this issue, the group identified ways of strengthening their approaches within their regions, as well as cross-regional learning opportunities and joint initiatives to build capacity across their wider network of members and partners.

&nbsp;

<strong>The session was organised around the following learning questions:</strong>

&nbsp;
<ul>
 	<li>How are regional networks uniquely positioned to advance fatherhood and male engagement in ECD?</li>
 	<li>Where are there gaps in noteworthy or successful practices or understanding of approaches and solutions?</li>
 	<li>Are there joint priorities that could benefit from collaboration?</li>
</ul>
<h3></h3>
<h3><strong>You can read more about existing initiatives and future cross-regional plans in our session report.</strong></h3>
&nbsp;

<h2>Afternoon Session: Capturing &amp; Communicating Network Impact: reflections from national and regional ECD networks</h2>
&nbsp;

This session explored the different kinds of impact generated by regional and national networks that advance ECD, as well as challenges and opportunities in communicating impact, to both internal and external audiences.

&nbsp;

<strong>The session was organized around the following learning questions:</strong>

&nbsp;
<ul>
 	<li>How do different networks define and understand impact?</li>
 	<li>How do different networks communicate their impact internally to members and partners to share what’s working, and externally to advance ECD, and support strategic partnerships and sustainability?</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h3><strong>You can read more about the types of impact generated by ECD networks and the approaches they to capturing and communicating that impact in our session report.</strong></h3>

<h2>Thank You!</h2>
&nbsp;

Thank you, first and foremost, to<strong> the ARNEC Secretariat</strong> who pulled off a fantastic regional conference and organised a great Annual Meeting.

&nbsp;

Thank you to <strong>Amanda Welsh, Senior Consultant at <a href="https://www.networkimpact.org/">Network Impact</a></strong>, who co-designed and facilitated the morning and afternoon sessions, and who drafted the reports for each.

&nbsp;

Thank you to each of the regional networks – <strong><a href="http://issa.nl">ISSA</a>, <a href="http://arnec.net">ARNEC</a>, <a href="http://afecn.org">AfECN</a> and <a href="http://anecd.net">ANECD</a></strong> - who dedicated their valuable time and energy to these sessions and have made insights and conversations rich.

&nbsp;

Thank you to our funders, partners and friends who attended our Annual Meeting and have supported us throughout the process. We look forward to the next time we can meet again in person!

<h3><strong>ANECD</strong></h3>
&nbsp;

<strong>First Regional Forum in Cairo </strong>

&nbsp;

With the support of the ECRN Fund, ANECD held its first regional forum, titled “Caring for Young Children in a Turbulent World: Development Strategies in Arab Countries”, from September 8 to 10th in Cairo, Egypt. The forum was hosted by the Arab Council for Childhood and Development and attended by over 60 members and representatives from various sectors involved in Early Childhood Development from 13 Arab countries. The main focus of the Forum was to identify strategic directions for ECD in the face of multiple crises affecting Arab countries, and to set priorities for the next 3-5 years. Laying the foundation for continued collaboration between different actors to improve the well-being of young children in the Arab region, the forum included policy visions, cooperative initiatives and research presentations, all emphasizing the importance of advocating for children’s rights. An important outcome was the confirmation of the role of ANECD and its partners in supporting research programmes on Early Childhood Development throughout the region.

This very successful gathering represents a significant milestone in ANECD’s capacity to mobilise and engage key actors across the region.

&nbsp;

You can read more about the Forum <a href="https://www.anecd.net/article/the-first-regional-forum-of-the-arab-network-a-cornerstone-in-early-childhood-development/">here</a>.

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-684" src="https://dashboard.ecdnetworksfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/photo-ANECD-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" />

&nbsp;

<strong>Launch of the Arab Working Group for ECD Research</strong>

<strong> </strong>

In May 2023, in Amman, Jordan, ANECD launched the "Arab Working Group for ECD Research". With the participation of researchers from Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, the working group identified the main focus areas as: mapping previous ECD research, capacity building, advocacy, lobbying and knowledge production. The group also outlined future steps towards strengthening ECD research in the region. These included:

&nbsp;
<ul>
 	<li>Establishing and developing a database of ECD studies;</li>
 	<li>Building on and expanding the work of national ECD committees by networking with researchers in the working group;</li>
 	<li>Work on development of the budget for the Climate Change Strategic Research Model;</li>
 	<li>Develop Terms of Reference (ToR) for early childhood programs in Arab countries.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

The meeting was also attended by staff from the ECRN Fund, who got an opportunity to learn more about ANECD´s work and meet the research committee.

&nbsp;

You can read more about the workshop <a href="https://www.anecd.net/article/anecd-launches-the-arab-working-group-for-ecd-research-from-jordan/">here</a>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Read more about the ANECD National Working groups in Arab countries and other activities in the newly published <a href="https://www.anecd.net/article/the-arab-network-for-early-childhood-development-launches-its-annual-report-for-2022-2023/">annual report 2022-2023</a>.

<h3><strong>ARNEC</strong></h3>
&nbsp;

<strong>Stressing the interlinkages between ECD and Climate Change</strong>

<strong> </strong>

In 2023, ARNEC made significant progress advancing advocacy priorities, particularly exposing negative impacts of climate change on the development and well-being of young children and their families in the Asia-Pacific region and stressing how investments in early childhood development is a pathway to resilience-building and ensuring sustainable human development.

&nbsp;

ARNEC, with the support of regional partners and members, developed awareness-raising and communications packages signifying how young children are the most vulnerable to climate impacts and also the most valuable in building resilience through holistic and inclusive ECD investments.

&nbsp;

Creating better understanding of the interlinkages of early childhood and climate change meant ARNEC mobilising learning forums, webinars, and campaigns at the regional level last year, spotlighting context-specific risks young children face in households and communities at the country level and amplifying in global spaces, such as COP28 and other convenings, the voice of young children and their experiences and conditions of vulnerability and marginalization.

&nbsp;

Moreover, ARNEC collaborated with partners to produce:

&nbsp;
<ul>
 	<li>four micro studies in <a href="https://arnec.net/resources/arnec-resources/bhutan-climate-change-young-children-micro-research">Bhutan</a>, <a href="https://arnec.net/resources/arnec-resources/india-climate-change-young-children-micro-research">India</a>, <a href="https://arnec.net/resources/arnec-resources/pakistan-climate-change-young-children-micro-research">Pakistan</a>, and the <a href="https://arnec.net/resources/arnec-resources/philippines-climate-change-young-children-micro-research">Philippines</a> demonstrating the nexus of ECD and climate change in diverse contexts at the country-level;</li>
 	<li>ECD-Climate resources to assist key stakeholders in initiating country-level awareness-raising and campaigns;</li>
 	<li><a href="https://arnec.net/our-advocacies/clean-safe-and-secure-environments-support-early-childhood-development">COP28 ECD-Climate Resource Pack</a>;</li>
 	<li>strategic policy events to elevate ECD-Climate agenda at regional and global levels.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

<strong>Convening a Learning Forum in the Philippines</strong>

<strong> </strong>

Support from the ECRN Fund has also helped ARNEC to strengthen its role as convener and facilitator in the region.

&nbsp;

In August 2023, ARNEC held its first post-pandemic, face-to-face learning forum in Cebu, the Philippines. This event, entitled ‘Connecting and collaborating for holistic ECD agenda in the Asia-Pacific region,’ brought together around 80 participants from 17 countries, including ARNEC members, CSOs and Government Ministries.

&nbsp;

The purpose of the forum was to share and learn from each other’s insights and practice on responsive caregiving and playful parenting, ECD and climate resilience, strengthening the early childhood workforce, and championing multisectoral approaches to ECD. The learning forum was a great opportunity to expand the partnership with different ECD national networks and government bodies.

An important outcome from the forum is a greater commitment to supporting the work of ARNEC in highlighting the holistic nature of ECD and the emerging climate crisis. Details of the ARNEC Learning Forum are found <a href="https://arnec.net/news/arnec-partners-host-learning-forum-philippines">here</a>.

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-687" src="https://dashboard.ecdnetworksfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/arnes-photo-300x159.png" alt="" width="300" height="159" />

&nbsp;

<h3><strong>AfECN</strong></h3>
&nbsp;

<strong>Greater Visibility through Engagement with the African Union </strong>

&nbsp;

During 2023, AfECN has intensified its advocacy at continental level and engagement with the African Union (AU). Recognising the importance of a cross-sectoral approach to Early Childhood Development (ECD), AfECN continues to collaborate with the AU in coordinating the ECED Cluster and on the creation of the multi-sectoral AU Nurturing Care Task Force with representation from all key departments. The role of this Task Force is to coordinate and advocate for inclusion of nurturing care within ongoing initiatives and wider continental campaigns. With support from the ECRN Fund, a senior full-time staff has been seconded to the AU offices in Addis Ababa, providing advocacy and coordination support to the Task Force. This increased capacity has enabled AfECN’s engagement to move from bilateral conversations to more impactful multisectoral collaboration.

&nbsp;

You can read more about AfECN´s regional advocacy work <a href="https://afecn.org/advocacy">here.</a>

<strong> </strong>

<strong>Research Mentorship Programme</strong>

&nbsp;

The lack of empirical evidence to guide programme design and policy interventions impedes the advancement of early childhood development in the Africa region. Recognising this challenge, the provision of support to African scholars working at the intersection of research, policy and practice is a strategic priority for AfECN. In 2023, AfECN designed and successfully implemented a Research Mentorship Programme aimed at building implementation research capacity on the continent. The programme includes provision of research grants and linking early and mid-career researchers with well-established global ECD scholars and ECD practitioners. These collaborations are continuing and have incentivised the formation of various regional research communities of practice throughout the continent.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://afecn.org/knowledge-generation">Here</a> you can find out more about AfECN´s research programme.

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-703" src="https://dashboard.ecdnetworksfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/WhatsApp-Image-2024-02-09-at-02.41.23-1-300x225.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" />

<h3><strong>ISSA</strong></h3>
&nbsp;

<strong>The power of a network to make a difference for young children: Examples from ISSA</strong>

<strong> </strong>

<strong>Stronger focus on creating sustainable and supportive environments </strong><strong>for </strong><strong>young children and their </strong><strong>care-givers</strong><strong> has never been more crucial. Acting as a catalyst that sparks change within local contexts in Europe and Central Asia, the ISSA Network supports the roll-out of effective solutions to complex problems. ISSA Members have access to the advantages of being part of a network, tapping into mechanisms that suppport resilience and capacity building in times of crisis. This blog shares two of many examples of the ISSA Network’s successful impact in 2023 – ISSA’s roll-out of the Primokiz Programme and </strong><strong>the network</strong><strong>’s coordinated response to support children and families impacted by the war in Ukraine. </strong>

&nbsp;

<strong> </strong>

<strong>The Primokiz Programme</strong>

&nbsp;

Last year marked a pivotal moment for ISSA with the successful roll-out of the Primokiz programme in several countries. By working directly with local governments, the Primokiz programme builds a sustainable local infrastructure of knowledge and capacity for developing and implementing responsive and comprehensive early childhood strategies.

&nbsp;

At its core, the Primokiz programme is a celebration of local capacity and leadership. Primokiz takes on a highly participatory process rooted in the local context, that mobilizes and connects the political commitment with the local expertise and resources, and the needs of the children and families in the communities. Grounded in key arguments for investing in early childhood services, the Primokiz methodology offers a structured seven-phased process for building local leadership and ownership over the development and implementation of needs-based strategic measures to improve local early childhood services across sectors. The feedback from cities was very positive and showed that Primokiz can have tremendous impact on local-level services for young children.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.issa.nl/primokiz">Here</a> you can find out more about this comprehensive approach.

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-691" src="https://dashboard.ecdnetworksfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/issa-photo-300x182.png" alt="" width="300" height="182" />

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<strong>Ukraine Response</strong>

&nbsp;

The ISSA Network, bolstered by support from the ECRN Fund, has not only sustained but amplified its role as a hub for knowledge and a bridge of support. The year 2023 was a testament to the network’s collective resilience, marked by a rapid and consistent <a href="https://www.issa.nl/content/issa-network-advantage-prioritizing-young-childrens-development-emergencies">response to the war in Ukraine</a> .

&nbsp;

As the war moved into its second year, the Secretariat continued to support local member organisations with capacity building, fundraising, and making connections to donors and agencies operating in their areas. Since the first day of the war, the ISSA Network has mobilised to support young children and their families, both in Ukraine and in countries receiving refugees. A key lesson learned from these interventions, is that despite a large mobilisation of resources, it remains challenging to provide immediate and appropriate responses on the ground. Given its available technical expertise, expansive connections and local footprint, the ISSA Network has been able to move quickly to successfully address the needs of children, families, ECD professionals and communities impacted by the war in Ukraine.

&nbsp;

On this <a href="https://www.issa.nl/Support_for_Ukraine">page</a> you can find a rich set of resources and materials for those working with children of Ukraine, as well as for parents and caregivers. Available in multiple languages, these resources are relevant to other parts of the world where young children are affected by crisis.

&nbsp;

<strong>By embracing a multi-sectoral, multi-faceted strategy, the ISSA Network’s efforts extend beyond meeting immediate needs to building robust </strong><strong>local communities capable of withstanding future challenges. The ability of ISSA Members to utilize the network's advantage underscores the effectiveness of collective action, facilitating rapid and impactful responses when most needed. The support from the Secretariat in enhancing this resilience and mobilization </strong><strong>of capacity underscores a commitment to proactive and </strong><strong>participatory action for the well-being of children and families.</strong><strong> Countless stories of impact and collaboration inspire </strong><strong>ISSA’s further efforts towards creating environments where every child has the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive. </strong>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone wp-image-708" src="https://dashboard.ecdnetworksfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/RESILIENCE-CONFERENCE-WEB-BANNER_0-300x131.png" alt="" width="316" height="138" />

&nbsp;

ARNEC, a key partner of the Early Childhood Regional Networks Fund will be hosting the  2024 Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Early Childhood Development (ECD)  from 27-30 May 2024 in Penang, Malaysia.

The conference aims to drive actions and equip policy makers and practitioners with the tools and approaches to address current challenges in early childhood. Through the theme of the conference, <strong>‘Investing in ECD: An effective pathway for building resilience and boosting sustainable development’</strong>, various ECD stakeholders will gather to exchange ideas, share diverse experiences and insights, and commit to a stronger ECD movement in the region.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-708" src="https://dashboard.ecdnetworksfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/RESILIENCE-CONFERENCE-WEB-BANNER_0-300x131.png" alt="" width="300" height="131" />

Streamline the administrative burden of grant-making, for recipients as well as for funding institutions.

Build sector-wide capacity on ECD themes – and its intersecting issues - around the world.

Create a community (networks and donors) for sharing insights and learning.

Promote collaboration among networks, among foundations, and between them.

Share the risks and opportunities among donors.

Creates new opportunities for synergies in financial and non-financial support.

Allows networks to focus more on impact, less on fundraising.

Leverages funding to achieve larger collective impact than any one donor could have achieved alone.

The Early Childhood Regional Networks Fund is a philanthropic pooled funding initiative. Together we:

The benefits of collaborative funding

Supporting the growth and development of networks is an investment with enormous reach and potential. Regional early childhood networks catalyse change in policy and practice by mobilising their members to generate evidence, share knowledge, strengthen capacity and build the resilience of ECD systems across their regions, which together span over 100 countries.

&nbsp;

<strong>By funding networks, we enable a wider chain of impact that runs from a network’s membership of organisations to the communities, families and children that they serve.</strong>

Our work

Established in 2014 and hosted by the <a href="https://mawared.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arab Resource Collective</a> (ARC), the <a href="https://www.anecd.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arab Network for Early Childhood</a> (ANECD) is a participatory and collaborative network of local, regional, and international organizations, governments, experts, and academics in Arab countries.

&nbsp;

ANECD’s mission is to connect, empower, harmonize, advocate, produce, and communicate adapted, holistic, integrative, and inclusive early childhood development experiences and resources to Arab societies on the rights of young children.

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.anecd.net/anecd-strategy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ANECD’s strategy</a> operates through five key intervention areas:
<ol>
 	<li>ECD in Emergency Contexts</li>
 	<li>Child’s Rights</li>
 	<li>ECD Workforce</li>
 	<li>ECD in Environmental Hazards and Climate Crisis</li>
 	<li>Digital Empowerment and Distant Interventions</li>
</ol>
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Arab Network for Early Childhood (ANECD)

ANECD’s Strategic Research Models (SRM),  and the Arab Working Group on EC Research

ANECD’S Arabic Parenting platform and the online training Course: Urjouha & HEPPP

ANECD’s MHPSS hub: Nawwara

The African Early Childhood Network (AfECN) is a registered non-profit, established in 2015 to serve as a platform to champion excellence and collaboration in protecting children's rights, influence policy and practice, strengthen partnerships, and share experiences and knowledge in ECD on the African continent.

&nbsp;

To achieve its objectives, the network; comprising of  organisations from civil society, academia and the private sector collaborates with the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities, Regional Health Communities as well as African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) and other continental and regional bodies to support design, implementation and continuous improvement of multi sectoral early childhood programmes across Africa Union Member States.

Africa Early Childhood Network (AfECN)

Regional advocacy in Africa

National networking 

Facilitating a regional research network 

Established in February 2008, the Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) builds strong partnerships across sectors and different disciplines, organisations, and institutions in the Asia-Pacific region to advance the agenda on and investment in early childhood.

&nbsp;

ARNEC provides a common platform for ECD professionals from diverse sectors promoting holistic and inclusive early childhood development (ECD) and advocating for responsive caregiving and playful parenting; multisectoral approaches to ECD; ECD and climate resilience; and ECD workforce. ARNEC draws its membership from both institutional and individual members. Currently it has 25 institutional members and more than 3,000 individual members.

Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC)

Integration Report: Documentation of Good ECD Practices and Innovations in the Context of COVID-19

Most Vulnerable to Most Valuable: A Scoping Study to Put Young Children at the Heart of Climate Actions and Environmental Protection: 

Full Documentation of the 2022 ARNEC Conference on Young Children in Crisis: Addressing the Impacts of COVID-19, Environmental Degradation, and Climate Change: 

Established in 1999, the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) facilitates learning and collaboration across sectors, disciplines and borders in Europe and Central Asia, to advocate for and support competent Early Childhood Systems.

&nbsp;

Building on Open Society Foundations’ <a href="https://www.issa.nl/about-us-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Step by Step Program</a>, ISSA’ vibrant community of nearly <a href="https://www.issa.nl/member-profiles?display_name=&amp;name_3=All&amp;name_2=All&amp;name_1=All&amp;membership_type=All&amp;name_4=All&amp;age_group=All&amp;name_5=All&amp;name_6=All" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100 members</a> unites diverse organizations on a mission for quality, equity, workforce development and multisectoral approaches in integrated early years services. The network is a platform for members and partners to share, create and disseminate knowledge and practices—weaving a rich tapestry of collective wisdom and action towards greater impact for young children.

International Step by Step Association (ISSA)

Working with local governments – the Primokiz approach 

Strengthening ECD systems with the Resource Package for the Home Visiting Workforce 

The Ukraine Response 

The regional networks

We support regional networks through three types of funding:

Support the member-driven strategic plans of the networks

Core support

Strengthen the capacity and impact of each network and learning between them

Learning and development

Enable collaborative projects that the networks deliver with their members and other partners

Our work

We support regional networks through three types of funding:

The regional networks

Africa Early Childhood Network (AfECN)

The benefits of collaborative funding

Latest updates from the Fund