Early Moments Matter: Photo exhibition featuring fathers and their newborns

Chisinau, 14 June 2018 – The photo exhibition "Early Moments Matter" was inaugurated today in Chisinau by UNICEF in partnership with the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. The photographs portray 9 fathers interacting with their children in the first moments of their lives.

”More and more fathers choose to take paternity leave to join their family with the arrival of their child into the world. And more and more fathers - such as those who have participated in the photo project inaugurated today - choose to attend the birth of their children and are aware of the father's importance in their development."

Adrian Candu, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, and a father of three children 

Andrian Candu was near his wife all three times: last time when his youngest son was born  in January 2017.

The Photo Exhibition is part of UNICEF's "Early Moments Matter " campaign, which focuses on the first 1,000 days of a child's life and the impact of early experiences on the developing brain. Father’s Day is an opportunity to remember that fathers who have the possibility to bond with their babies from the earliest days of their lives further contribute to the harmonious development of their children.

“The first 1,000 days of life - the time spanning roughly between conception and a child’s second birthday - is a unique golden opportunity period, when the foundations of optimum health, growth, and neurodevelopment across the lifespan are established. This means that from the day a baby is conceived up to 2nd birthday -  parents can bring about the sparking of 1,000 neuronal connections every second. Connections, that will eventually determine how their child will think and learn, her ability to deal with stress, and even influence how much she will earn as an adult.“

Desiree Jongsma, UNICEF Representative in the Republic of Moldova 

Since the adoption of the law on childcare leave in 2016, more than 3,300 Moldovan fathers have taken the opportunity to be together with their families for the 14 days provided by law. The law allows parents to decide which one of them will take the leave.

"My children, nine-year-old Damian and three-month-old Tincuta mean everything to me, much above my passion for music and art. I try to make our time together nourishing and beautiful, I try to be the best version of myself, as in the end, children see, children do."

artist Alex Calancea, who became a father for the second time three months ago 

Almost two-thirds of the world’s children under 1 year old – nearly 90 million – live in countries where their fathers are not entitled by law to a single day of paid paternity leave, according to a new UNICEF analysis and ninety-two countries do not have national policies in place that ensure new fathers get adequate paid time off with their newborn babies, including India and Nigeria – which all have high infant populations, according to a new UNICEF global analysis.

About the Global Campaign "Early Moments Matter"

"Early Moments Matters" (#EarlyMomentsMatter) is a UNICEF global campaign to raise awareness of the importance of the first 1,000 days of the child's life and the impact of early experiences on the developing brain.