Early childhood development

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representatives have embarked on an important visit to The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The initial meeting with First Deputy Minister of Health, Acting Minister of Health, Samig Sadikhov, highlighted significant healthcare reforms, including the establishment of 37 Family Health Centers and a cutting…

Baku, 29 April 2023 - UNICEF, together with the World Health Organization (WHO), launched a series of events during the European Immunization Week that took place in Azerbaijan on 24-29 April 2023. Following the WHO recommendation, the Ministry of Health has issued an order for the celebration of "Immunization Week" in all regions of Azerbaijan on…

UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) celebrate European Immunization Week on 24-29 April with the financial support of the European Union in four districts of Azerbaijan with low vaccination coverage through a series of educational events. WHO and UNICEF carried out the activities with the organizational support of the Ministry of Health…

BAKU, 1 July 2022 – Government officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Heath, The State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population, the Office of Ombudsman, the State Agency for Mandatory Health Insurance, the Management Union of Medical Territorial Units (…

In the first 1,000 days of life (first 3 years), your child’s brain develops faster than at any other time. Even more incredible is that before young children can even talk, you can help with that brain building. How? Through serve and return! >>Watch Building babies’ brains through play: Mini Parenting Master Class   With help from our…, What is serve and return?, Serve and return is a series of back and forth interactions between a child and parent or primary caregiver, where an adult responds lovingly and appropriately to a baby or toddler’s noises and gestures. Think of it as a game of ping-pong: it’s all about the back and forth — and having fun! The most important part is showing your child that you…, How do I practice serve and return with my child?, Building your baby’s brain does not need to be complicated and better yet, it can be built into every day routines and moments. Any moment with your baby can turn into a playful opportunity to learn! Here are some easy ways you can start incorporating serve and return into your everyday interactions with your little one.  , The 'name game', Rebeccka and her baby Naybare Sheba (5 months) at the POC (ISIS Point of Care Clinic) Mbarara RRH (Regional Referral Hospital) South Western Uganda. Add some fun to your morning routine! Dressing your child is a great opportunity to help her make important language connections. As you observe her interest in each article of clothing you put on,…, Food time fun!, On 23 July, 2019, Joaquín, 2, is offered broccoli by his mother, Rosina, during lunch at their home in a rural area of the department of San José, Uruguay. Explore your kitchen with your child – it’s full of exciting sights, colours, shapes and smells for your baby to explore. Support and encourage your child’s curiosity by paying close attention…, Bath time play, Daw Nyo Nyo Aye bathes her daughter Kyal Zin Naing (10 months) at her home, Lay Bway Chaung Village, Kan Gyi Daunt township, Irrawaddy region, Myanmar. Grab some bath toys or a ball and get ready to play! Let your baby pick the toy that grabs her interest first. Play with her back and forth, and when she’s ready to move to the next toy make a…, Point and learn, Zakir smiles as he watches joy on his son's face in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Whether it’s in the car or around the neighbourhood, there are lots of things to see when walking outside. Pay attention to what your baby seems interested in through his gestures, gaze or sounds and point to it while telling your baby what it is: “Oh do you see the bird? That’…, Food swap, Refugee mother feeding her baby at ADRA community centre in Belgrade, Serbia. When feeding your baby a snack, take turns in who does the feeding. Feed her one piece and let her pick up the next piece herself. Even if it takes some time, wait for your child to respond. Taking turns helps build her confidence and social skills. This would be a great…, Did you find this content useful? 

BAKU, 1 June 2022 - As 200 Government officials, national and international policy experts, and development professionals gathered on 1 June for the "National ECD Strategy: Current Experience and Vision for the Future" International ECD Conference in Haydar Aliyev Center, the call was made for increased political and financial commitment for these…

Did you know that music can make you and your baby smarter and happier? Carlota Nelson, director of the documentary  Brain Matters , explains the science behind why music benefits young minds.  We’ve always known that music has a powerful, transformative and unifying effect on people. But only now do we know that music contributes to better memory…, What happens when babies listen to music, Neuroscientists who study baby brains say music has long-lasting benefits for babies, too. Music makes a big difference to the baby brain. One study from the Institute of Learning and Brain Sciences detected that after babies listen to music, their auditory and prefrontal cortexes look different. These are the regions of the brains in charge of…, Listening to music vs playing music, While listening to music impacts the brain, making music is even more powerful. This is because making music requires fine motor skills (such as being able to grip and squeeze objects), as well as linguistic and mathematical precision, and creativity ─ firing up several areas of the brain.  Tapping into these skills means developing the bridge…, From research to practice, When all this scientific evidence gets translated into our homes and early learning centres, even in short doses, our children get smarter. “We see an impact in literacy, numeracy, physical development, gross motor coordination [such as running and jumping], fine motor skills, as well as social and emotional development,” says Graham Welsh, a…, The benefits of music for your child, When young children are exposed to music, their brains change. Among other benefits, music can: Improve moods and empower young children by reducing stress levels . Even listening to sad music can be good thanks to its cathartic power, making it easier for children to get in touch with their emotions.  Stimulate the formation of brain chemicals…, Did you find this content useful?, Loading...

Parenting is considered one of the most difficult jobs in the world, but there’s no formal education available on how to parent successfully. The good news is there are many ways parents can stimulate their babies’ brains and use day-to-day events as exceptional learning opportunities. Carlota Nelson, director of the documentary Brain Matters ,…, 1. Stimulate baby talk and treat it as real conversation, The sounds and gestures that babies make might not always seem like much, but it’s their only form of communication. Early childhood development scientists say we should stimulate Baby talk: Mini Parenting Master Class baby talk and treat it as real conversation. Parents should respond to baby’s sounds, cues and actions and engage with them…, 2. Read to your baby to exercise language, Babies might not be talking or reading yet but they’re born ready to learn.  Even at 3 months of age, they can distinguish each sound used in every language in the entire world. Every time you read out loud to your baby, you are building language skills. Make sure to point to the pictures in the book and ask questions about the story and the…, 3. Use everyday experiences as learning opportunities, For babies, each life experience is all about learning. Whether it’s bath time, sorting laundry, cooking or running errands, these activities are great learning moments. Narrate what you are doing to stimulate language. Count and sort laundry to teach maths and play with food ingredients and textures to promote scientific thinking. Making faces…, 4. Take play seriously, Young children are learning all the time. When they play, they’re building important life skills. Make-believe play allows them to experience what it’s like to be someone else and understand others’ feelings. When they play with others, they’re learning to compromise and take turns. Engaging in imaginative free play, like pretending a toy train…, 5. Lead by example, Babies are genius impersonators. They pick up on everything they see you do. Until they talk, they become experts at reading faces and non-verbal attitudes and learn to mimic them. By watching your body language, how you treat others or how you react to a challenge, babies will adopt these attitudes and actions themselves. The way you act around…, Did you find this content useful? , Loading...

Did you know that the negative effects of too much screen time for babies and toddlers range from shorter attention span to lower empathy?  Carlota Nelson, director of the documentary Brain Matters , explores why too much screen time can harm babies and the importance of ensuring children enjoy off-screen experiences.    Babies, toddlers and…, Did you find this content useful?

At 1 year old, your child is learning to eat on her own. She can chew her food as well as you can, so she can eat the same foods as the rest of the family., In brief: Feeding your child at 1–2 years, plate and food icon At 1 year, solid foods – including healthy snacks – are now your child’s main source of energy and nutrition. Jar icon He can take between three quarters to one cup of food three to four times a day, plus one to two snacks between meals. Breastfeeding icon Continue breastfeeding as much as your child wants, until he is at least…

Young children need enough nutritious food every day to grow healthy, strong and smart. At around 6 months old, your baby is growing quickly and needs more energy and nutrients than at any other time in her life., In brief: Feeding your baby at 6–12 months, plate and food icon After 6 months, breastmilk is still your baby’s main source of energy and nutrients, but solid foods should now be added. Jar icon Your baby has a small stomach and needs small amounts of soft nutritious food frequently throughout the day.  fruits icon In addition to grains and tubers, feed your baby a variety of foods –…

Education  Health and Nutrition  Child Protection & Social Policy  Child Rights Monitoring  Cross-sectoral , EDUCATION, Students make up for learning loss through the catch-up programme , The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected the education of children, with school closures and interruptions in learning. Azerbaijan is one of the countries that has resumed the operation of schools and invested in making sure that schools are first to open and last to close. To support children who have fallen behind during this period,…, UNICEF continues working with partners to support the mental health of students and teachers , Children are most vulnerable to unprecedented and dangerous situations. The pandemic and the conflict of 2020 left many children in need of psychological support. To measure the impact of the conflict and the pandemic on children, teachers and schools, UNICEF conducted an Education in Emergencies Needs Assessment. Mental health and psychosocial…, HEALTH AND NUTRITION, UNICEF strengthens its relationship with the Azerbaijan Medical University by signing a memorandum of understanding, A memorandum of understanding was signed between UNICEF and the Azerbaijan Medical University. The new document sets forth a framework for cooperation between the partners aimed at improving undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, enhancing the existing curricula and capacity-building to develop human resources in the health sector,…, How to get schoolchildren to eat healthier meals?, UNICEF in Azerbaijan has partnered with the Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan to promote healthy eating habits among schoolchildren. The Azerbaijan Food Safety Institute, an organization under the umbrella of the Agency, held a launch event for a pilot programme entitled ‘School Food Guides’ in March, with the support of UNICEF and…, Healthcare workers to promote ‘The 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding', Exclusive breastfeeding is vital to children's survival and ensures the very best start in life. UNICEF has partnered with the Administration of the Regional Medical Divisions to promote the benefits, best practices and importance of breastfeeding among medical staff. The ‘10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding training was held in 12 maternity…, A brochure answering questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine was disseminated through health facilities, UNICEF joined forces with the State Agency on Mandatory Health Insurance and the Administration of the Regional Medical Divisions to promote vaccination among the population. The online campaign #LetsStoptheVirus reached more than 1 million people. An informational brochure was prepared and disseminated in Baku healthcare facilities. The partners…, CHILD PROTECTION, Partners and local communities join efforts to find sustainable solutions to violence against children, A roundtable discussion on violence against children was held in the district of Agjabadi, in the framework of the Community and Family-based Integrated Social Services programme, which is implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and local partners, with financial support from the European Union. Representatives of the district’…, Child protection standards to be disseminated through Baku schools, UNICEF partnered with the Ministry of Education and the Centre for Methodology Support and Professional Development to organize a training on child protection and safety for 12 staff members of the Ministry of Education. These master trainers will train more than 100 teachers in 25 Baku schools throughout 2022. The aim of this process is to…, CHILD RIGHTS MONITORING, Data on children critical to improve their lives: Azerbaijan is getting ready to conduct a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, UNICEF and the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding on Conducting a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) in the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2022’. MICS are essential to genuinely improve the lives of children and women since they provide up-to-date, comprehensive and disaggregated data…, YOUTH AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT, 3x3 Girls Tournament held in Baku in celebration of International Women’s Day, UNICEF and the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan held the 3x3 Girls Tournament, with the financial support of the European Union. The tournament was dedicated to International Women's Day. Teams in three different age groups competed in the tournament, which was held on 6 March at the Sports Palace of the Azerbaijan Technical…, To see the complete series, check out the videos through our YouTube playlist ., Consultant explaining mine risk UNICEF Azerbaijan/Aliyev/2022 A boy showing the EORE material, Mine risk education for a safer future  , In partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and with the financial support of the European Union, UNICEF continues to implement the Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) programme. After the participation of 1,000 primary and secondary schoolteachers in capacity-building activities,…, To learn more about the programme, please click here., Youth council members expand their skills to better serve their communities  , UNICEF and the National Assembly of Youth Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan have completed a series of trainings in the framework of an EU-funded programme dedicated to the establishment of youth advisory councils in five districts of the country. The programme was initiated to better define the role young people can play in the welfare…, MORE RESOURCES, We are glad to share a short video we produced, which includes some tips on how to surf online safely and how to protect your mental health.