The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) is an African institution committed to deepening democracy and human rights in southern Africa. OSISA’s vision is to promote and sustain the ideals, values, institutions and practice of open society, with the aim of establishing a vibrant southern African society in which people, free from material and other deprivation, understand their rights and responsibilities and participate democratically in all spheres of life.

The Early Childhood Development and Education Programme is part of the broader OSISA Education Programme that seeks to make significant improvements in the early childhood sector in southern Africa by engaging in multi-levelled interventions in selected countries. The overarching goal of the programme, which is being run in collaboration with the Open Society Foundation’s (OSF) Early Childhood Program, is to promote access to quality early childhood development and education in a manner that places a premium on eliminating inequalities in current access for the most marginalised and vulnerable children.

This innovative initiative will enable sustained engagement within at least seven countries, including Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe by initiating multi-layered programming that improves the capacity of duty-bearers to realise the rights of young children and their families. Responsibility for the implementation of this strategy will reside jointly within the OSISA Education Programme and the OSI Early Childhood Programme.

A Strategy for Early Childhood Development and Education

in Southern Africa

GETTING IT RIGHT

President Place1 Hood Avenue/148 Jan Smuts Avenue (corner Bolton)Rosebank, Johannesburg

PO Box 678, Wits 2050, Johannesburg

Justine Ngulube JustineN@osisa.org

Tel +27 (0) 11 587 5000Fax +27 (0) 11 587 5099www.osisa.org

These objectives will be achieved through the following support mechanisms: (i) grant-making, (ii) capacity-building, (iii) networking and facilitation of new ideas, and (iv) advocacy, communication campaigns, research and the production of strategic information. Examples of which follow:

(i) Grant-making:

• Country specific core grants to anchor NGOs or government agencies providing early childhood services. These grants will focus on efforts to create cost effective, scalable national models targeted at vulnerable and marginalised children. • Acatalyticfundawardingsmallgrantsforcollaborative efforts, between CSOs, private sector and the state, at national level to support systems and policy development. • Smallgrantstosupportlocalorganisationstopromote parenting skills or parent advocacy and participation.

(ii) Capacity building:

• NationalandregionalseminarsforNGOand government partners; • Regionalstudytoursandspecializedtrainings;• IndividualizedtechnicalsupporttoNGOsand government departments.

(iii) Networking and facilitation of new ideas:

• Earlychildhoodnetworkstosupporttheexchangeof knowledge and practices among professionals as well as parent advocates; • Publicationanddisseminationofbestpracticesand scientific research;• Packaginganddisseminationofresourcesandmaterials for parents, child care services providers, educators, and government officials.

(iv) Advocacy, information campaigns and research:

• Publicawarenesscampaignhighlightingthebenefitsofearly childhood interventions across the lifespan; • Capacitygapanalysistoidentifythemultileveltraining and development needs across the range of professional and paraprofessional service providers; • Parentalneedsassessmenttoidentifyknowledge,attitudes andpracticesandexpectations;• Mappingandassessmentofcurrentresearchcapacitiesto develop regional specific research agenda and a framework for institutional capacity building support and assistance.

OBJECTIVES:

The programme focuses on young children and their families from 0 – 3 years of age as well as those from 4 – 8 years. Both short and long term support will be provided for interventions designed to address the following objectives:

•Strengthenthecapacityofdecisionmakersfromrelevant Ministriesaswellascivilsocietyleaders to design and implement policies and strategies that will increase the access and availabilty of comprehensive early childhood services; •Raisepublicawareness through campaigns designed to inform parents about the importance of early childhood and increase their demand for quality services;•Increasethecapacityofprofessionals,communityworkers andparents by increasing access to national and regional training and educational opportunities; •Enhancethecapacityofresearchinstitutions to evaluate programmes and disseminate best practices through a coordinated research agenda; and,•Establishnationalandregionalnetworks to foster collaboration,coordinationandinformationexchange between state, civil society, researchers, providers and communities.

ITISINDEEDTIMETOACT.We can no longer wait and watch another cohort of young children fail to reach their potential. Regional solutions will only emerge through the determined efforts of practitioners and policy makers working creatively across traditional sectors to establish sustainable multi level partnerships. Through this initiative OSI/ECP is committed to GettingitRight, by building effective early childhood systems capable of reaching all children — including those most marginalized and vulnerable — with the services they need to survive and thrive.

For more information, contact Justine NgulubeJustineN@osisa.org