Early Childhood Development
Early child stimulation and mental, cognitive and emotional development have only recently been introduced in Fewer than 10% of children in UNICEF also supported the establishment of community-based Rural Child Care Centres (RCCCs) in the most deprived provinces of the country. After 42 pilot centres were opened, the Government supported the expansion of the project and around 3,600 locally-managed centres have now been established. Communities are mobilized to monitor and promote improved nutrition, birth registration and early childhood development. Information and communication materials are designed around an integrated set of messages, aimed directly at parents. The capacities of leaders at community, district, provincial and national levels to plan and deliver services are being enhanced. UNICEF also continues to advocate for the development and adoption of a national policy on Integrated Early Childhood Development. Developing comprehensive and inclusive replicable models at local levels and identifying and documenting best practices play a central role in this.
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