The future of early childhood development: Navigating global aid cuts

Photo showing a mother with her baby sat on a rug outside in Tanzania. They are both looking at a child's flipbook that is held by a man in front of them. The flipbook has a picture of a baby with a ball and an adult pointing at the ball saying ''Mpira wa mtoto mlaini ee au unarangi nzuri neyekundu na bluu' 'A soft baby ball, or a beautiful red and blue ball.'

As global aid for early childhood development becomes less predictable, how can funders and practitioners sustain vital programmes that support young children’s learning and wellbeing?

Authors

Early childhood development (ECD) programmes in low- and middle-income countries are under growing pressure, as governments and donors scale back international assistance and shift priorities. In response, our Early Childhood Development Hub hosted a webinar exploring how ECD initiatives can adapt, sharing practical, country-first strategies for maintaining progress in early learning despite fiscal uncertainty.

The session featured leading experts in education and child development:

· Dr Kwabena Bempah Tandoh – Former Deputy Director-General, Ghana Education Service

· Professor Sally Brinkman – Education Futures, University of South Australia

· Dr Manzoor Ahmed – Chairperson, Bangladesh ECD Network

Hosted by our ECD Lead Anuradha Agrawala and moderated by our Education Practice Lead Sourovi De, the panel shared insights from Bangladesh, Ghana and Kiribati — illustrating how changes in development funding are affecting national ECD efforts, and what funders, governments and communities can do to respond.

Early childhood SDG goals under pressure

The addition of equitable and inclusive early childhood development in the Sustainable Development Goals was a landmark achievement. Backed by neuroscience and a growing evidence base, ECD gained widespread international support. But recent shifts in geopolitics and donor strategies have diverted resources and focus, presenting new challenges for those working to meet SDG targets.

Panellists reflected on how these pressures are playing out at the national level — from constrained public budgets in Ghana to increased dependency on limited donor support in Bangladesh and Kiribati.

Local ownership of ECD programmes

As international funding becomes less certain, speakers emphasised the value of strengthening local ownership of ECD systems. Governments are increasingly developing monitoring and evaluation tools that can be managed in-country, reducing reliance on external technical support and improving long-term sustainability.

These shifts support greater resilience and accountability, even when international aid is scaled back.

Embedding ECD in government systems

For ECD programmes to remain viable over time, they must be embedded within existing government structures and delivery systems. This means:

  • Building capacity among local professionals
  • Encouraging community involvement in early learning
  • Using data for planning and decision-making
  • Partnering strategically with remaining supporters
  • Phasing implementation to align with national plans

A systems-level approach ensures early learning is part of broader education and health efforts, not a siloed initiative vulnerable to external shocks.

Measuring ECD outcomes effectively

A growing emphasis on evidence and impact means more programmes are adopting measurement tools to assess ECD outcomes. The panel highlighted the importance of using open-source tools that are both locally relevant and internationally comparable.

While resource constraints often lead to a focus on the most vulnerable communities, speakers noted that establishing universal baseline data is a vital first step. This allows countries to tailor interventions without losing sight of inclusivity and scale.

Political advocacy for ECD funding

Sustaining early childhood investment requires more than strong programme design — it demands political commitment. Speakers discussed the need to position ECD as a policy priority that supports broader national goals, including education, economic growth and social development.

“As a leader in early childhood development, one of the most critical skills is mastering the balance between politics and policy,” said Dr Tandoh. “You need to know who holds the purse strings and engage with diplomacy, tact, and strategic advocacy to secure funding and resources for ECD.”

Successful advocacy includes building a coalition of champions within government and civil society who can keep early childhood on the national agenda — even when resources are tight.

📺Watch the full discussion on YouTube

 

Area of expertise

Education