Pacific leaders meet in Samoa to review early childhood development progress and strengthen regional collaboration. Two years after the 2023 Pacific Early Childhood Development (ECD)Forum that took place in Fiji, 15 Pacific Island countries have gathered this week in Apia, Samoa toevaluate the progress on ECD in the past two years, highlight challenges, and share experiences.“There is no greater calling than to shape the world through the heart of a child. And there is nodeeper honour than to do so together — grounded in culture, lifted by purpose, and united by faith,”said the Chief Executive Officer at Samoa’s Ministry of Women, Community and SocialDevelopment, Loau Donina Va'a. “Samoa is proud to champion early childhood developmentacross our region, ensuring every child is seen, heard, and nurtured from the very beginning.”For children to achieve their full potential, they need quality healthcare and nutrition, protectionfrom abuse and violence, early learning opportunities as well as responsive caregiving.Unfortunately, many disadvantaged children in the region, including those living in poverty, affectedby emergencies, on the move, facing discrimination, or with disabilities, miss this window ofopportunity for a strong start in life."As Minister for Children, I am committed to raising the visibility of children's needs and ensuringthey have the opportunity to thrive. We must be persistent in our efforts to ensure that every child issafe, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential," said Fiji’s Minister for Women,Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran.Under the 2025 theme ‘Our Children, Our Heritage: Blue Pacific Resilience through ECD Leadership’,government ministers and representatives from several sectors, including education, finance, healthand social welfare, will participate in cross-country and multi-sectoral dialogue during the three-dayforum held from 13 to 15 May. This network is essential for fostering collaboration and to sharelearning."We have come a long way in progressing ECD in the region, and I am excited to see everything thathas been achieved by the countries since we last met in 2023," said Jonathan Veitch, UNICEFPacific Representative. "Embracing a whole of region approach is not only about protecting ouryoung children, but it also means shared support to stop cycles of poverty and under-developmentundermining the strength and stability of our societies.”The region will discuss the need for more investment in the culture and traditions that are so rich inthe Pacific to drive change and address gaps in ECD. For example, massaging babies is a commontradition of love and connection, but this also comes with health benefits. This includes improvingdigestion, boosting the immune system, enhancing sleep patterns, and strengthening bonds between parents and young children.By strengthening these values, young children will be able to get more opportunities for positivephysical growth and brain development.The Forum, hosted by the Government of Samoa, is organized by the Pacific Regional Council forECD (PRC4ECD) and UNICEF, with the financial support of the Governments of New Zealand andAustralia as well as technical support from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. SOURCE: UNICEF PRESS
