WGECD Archived Publications

The series: "Childhood Cultures"

This series of books encourages mutual respect in children, tomorrow's adults, with as many shared activities and as much constructive interaction as possible. It teaches them to manage their impulses and live in a community. Introducing universal values, “Childhood C ultures” stresses the plurality and diversity of childhood experiences. and implies three different things: the set of conscious and unconscious rules and practices that define a community; the body of knowledge that characterizes an individual; and culture implying development and growth.

Bouba and Zaza

For the first time, Africa has a series of children’s books developed by Africans to meet African challenges. Despite the young age of its target audience (3 - 8), the Bouba and Zaza series, "Childhood Cultures", freely examines serious subjects. Its stories are set in contemporary society and portray early childhood and its problems. To break with the secrecy and silence that go hand in hand with AIDS, the violence done by those who violate the physical integrity of children, and war-induced traumas, the publisher has adopted an educational approach, using fiction to examine the questions children may ask themselves and the answers they need.
Among the themes chosen are: AIDS; Children in an emergency situation (sexual abuse); The culture of peace and non-violence (scars left by war); Accepting difference, tolerance (living with a disability); Children faced with natural disasters (earthquakes, droughts, etc.); Protection of the environment, education in sustainable development; Identity, cultural identity; Remembering to say "thank you"; Respect for elder people and respect for each other; The importance of water; Safety, protection (the dangers of the street and domestic risks); Hygiene, health and diet.
From the very first years of school, there is a fundamental need to organise the way the rules governing community life are taught. Young children gain their first experience of socialization at nursery school, outside the family circle. In short, this series of books encourages mutual respect in children, tomorrow's adults, with as many shared activities and as much constructive interaction as possible. It teaches them to manage their impulses and live in a community.
The series is intended to bring substantial improvement in the quality of education and to democratize information on contemporary topics of the first importance for Africa’s sustainable development. It is designed for children of both preschool and primary school age, as well as for parents and teachers.
Published in this series:
Bouba and Zaza Help their friends, Bouba and Zaza say thank you, Bouba and Zaza search for peace, Bouba and Zaza know when to say “no”, Bouba and Zaza are careful with water, Bouba and Zaza weigh up risks, Bouba and Zaza children of the world, Bouba and Zaza take their pedestrian test, Bouba and Zaza Look after their, Bouba and Zaza protect the planet, Bouba and Zaza care for other people, Bouba and Zaza accept peoples differences, Bouba and Zaza find out the truth about AIDS
ADEA Working Group on Early Childhood Development, Michel Lafon éducation, UNESCO, 2011. Also exists in French.

The ADEA Working Group for ECD. An historical perspective
By Dalais Cyril, Etse Stella, Pressoir Eveline, Vogelaar Jeannette
Published by UNESCO Bureau régional pour l'éducation en Afrique (BREDA) for the Working Group on Early Childhood Development (WGECD). 2008. Also available in French.

Fourth African International Conference on Early Childhood Development. From Policy to Action: Expanding Investment in ECD for Sustainable Development
Conference Proceedings. 10–13 November 2009. Dakar, Senegal
The Conference theme was: From Policy to Action: Expanding Investment in ECD for Sustainable Development. It had four main sub-themes and virtually all presentations were directly related to one or more sub-themes. They were: 1. Increasing ECD investment and assessing costs in a world of economic, food, fuel and ecological crises 2. Moving from policy to action: implementing and strengthening ECD policies and plans 3. Increasing access to quality ECD programs and going to scale 4. Expanding services for vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS, war and severe poverty.
Enthusiasm for African ECD achievements and innovations clearly demonstrated that Africa is now placing great emphasis on young children’s improved development, and ECD is on the map of decision makers throughout Africa.
ADEA Working Group on Early Childhood Development, UNESCO BREDA, Save the Children. 2010. Also available in French.

Fourth African International Conference on Early Childhood Development. Guide to ECD Innovations in Africa. Showcasing Innovative ECD Strategies, Lessons Learned and Tools!
The Guide to ECD Innovations in Africa celebrates the 10t h Anniversary of African International ECD Conferences. The Guide showcases our collective ECD achievements. The Guide is a collection of valuable and innovative African ECD experiences: Program and policy strategies; Key lessons learned, and Tools; materials and bibliographies. African creativity and achievements are featured throughout!
Objectives: 1. Inform specialists throughout Africa about ECD innovations in countries other than their own; 2. Celebrate our ECD achievements; and 3. Inspire all of us to meet the needs of young children, parents, caregivers and communities throughout Africa.
ADEA Working Group on Early Childhood Development, UNESCO BREDA, Save the Children. November 2009. Also available in French.

Investing in Early Childhood Development: Benefi ts, Savings and Financial Options By HYDE, Karin A
Early childhood development (ECD) has been recognized as a key factor underlying positive outcomes in school and in adulthood. However, questions remain as to its cost-effectiveness and fi nancial sustainability in the African context. This paper tries to answer some of these questions by reviewing the potential benefi ts of ECD programs in three areas: education, health and adulthood. The review is supplemented by summaries of cost-benefi t studies and an in depth discussion of the costing and funding issues involved in expanding ECD services in sub-Saharan Africa.
ADEA Working Group on Early Childhood Development, 2008 ISBN: 13 978-92-9178-083- 9. Also available in French.
 
Third African International Conference on Early Childhood Development Accra-Ghana may 30-June 3, 2005. Conference proceedings, Volume 1
ADEA Working Group on Early Childhood Development/UNICEF/UNESCO. 2005. Bilingual document, published simultaneously in English and French.
The 3rd African conference on early childhood development, of which the general theme was "Moving childhood development forward in Africa", was attended by 300 participants representing 35 African countries. The conference was led by ADEA WGECD and supported by the Government of Ghana, UNICEF, the World Bank, UNESCO, WHO CG and ECDVU. This document summarizes the proceedings discussions and recommendations. Ministerial communiqués, speeches as well as national action plans and the list of participants are included in the appendix.

Third African International Conference on Early Childhood Development Accra-Ghana May 30-June 3, 2005. Conference proceedings - Thematic Papers, Volume 2
ADEA Working Group on Early Childhood Development/UNICEF/UNESCO. 2005. Bilingual document, published simultaneously in English and French.
This volume contains the papers which were presented and discussed during the ECD international conference, in Ghana in 2005. Topics covered include: Ensuring effective caring practices within the family and community; Women and children, an overview of their situation; Challenges and opportunities for effective caring practices and ECD ;Ensuring effective caring practices within families and the community - who is responsible?; Ensuring access and use of quality basic services; and, Ensuring a supportive policy environment.

Planning Policies for Early Childhood Development: Guidelines for Action By VARGAS-BARÓN, Emily
These guidelines provide a toolkit for planning Early Childhood Development policies or policy frameworks. They demonstrate how government planners and institutions of civil society in the fields of health, nutrition, sanitation, education and legal protection can apply an integrated approach to child survival and early childhood development (ECD). The Guidelines present the five basic phases of the planning process, from structuring for success and methods for holding consultations and consensus building meetings to policy adoption and implementation. They explain how to integrate ECD policy planning with other cross-sectoral and sectoral policies and plans. Above all, the Guidelines help nations prepare ECD policies and annual ECD action plans that address critical gaps in services for vulnerable children and guide the development of comprehensive and culturally appropriate ECD programs.
ADEA Working Group on Early Childhood Development/UNICEF/UNESCO. 2005. Also exists in French

Early Childhood Development as an Important Strategy to Improve Learning Outcomes By HYDE, Karin L. and KABIRU, Margaret N.
This document, discussed during the 2003 Biennial on the contributions of early childhood development (ECD) programs to quality in basic education outlines key concepts such as ECD and quality. The emphasis is on an integrated holistic approach to child development that responds to the nurturing, social, emotional, health, nutrition and intellectual needs of the child.
ADEA Working Group on Early Childhood Development, forthcoming 2006. ISBN: 92-9178-061-8. Also exists in French

Policy Studies Project
Working Group on Early Childhood Development Policy Project: A Synthesis Report by Kate Torkington.
Working Group on Early Childhood Development, 2001.Also exists in French.

Review of Namibia’s Early Childhood Development Policy and its Implementation by Auriol Ashby, Dhyani Berger, Adelheid Butkus-Ndazapo, Judy Matjila.
Working Group on Early Childhood Development, 2001. Also exists in French.

A Case Study on ECD Policy Development in Ghanaby J.K.A. Boakye, M. Adamu-Issah, Stella Etse.
WGECD, 2001(Electronic version available in French only)


A Case Study on Early Childhood Development in Mauritius by V. Bassant et M. Moti.
WGECD, 2000(Electronic version available in French only)

WGECD Meeting Reports
Asmara Early Childhood Development Conference Documents: Declaration and synthesis statements
2nd International Conference on ECD - Asmara, Eritrea(2002)
Launching meeting of the ADEA Working Group on Early Childhood Development