Education Sector United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Holistic Early Childhood Development Index (HECDI) Framework A technical guide Holistic Early Childhood Development Index (HECDI) Framework A TECHNICAL GUIDE Published in 2014 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France © UNESCO 2014 All rights reserved The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors; they are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization. ED-2014/ws/20 Acknowledgements The HECDI was designed with input from many partners. We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of the following individuals and their organizations: Kate Anderson Simons, Brookings Institution Center for Universal Education and Learning Metrics Task Force; Adem Arkadaş, International Children Centre, Bilkent University (Turkey); Caroline Arnold, Aga Khan Foundation representing the Consultative Group on ECCD; José Ignacio Avalos, Un Kilo de Ayuda; Koli Banik, Global Partnership for Education; Danah Belhoul, PhD candidate at Cambridge University, Founder of Mishka Education Services; Nicole Bella, UNESCO (EFA/GMR); Erin Bresnahan, McGill University, Project on Working Families; Pedro Castillo, Un Kilo de Ayuda; Amanda Devercelli, World Bank; Rokhaya Diawara, UNESCO-BREDA regional office (Africa); Patrice Engle, California Polytechnic University; Nicolas Fasel, UNHCR; Maki Hayashikawa, UNESCO; Clyde Hertzman, UBC, Human Early Learning Partnership; Jody Heymann, McGill University, Project on Working Families; Hegazi Idris, UNESCO regional office (Arab States); Selim Iltus, Bernard van Leer Foundation; Yoshie Kaga, UNESCO; Thierry Lambrechts, WHO; Anais Loizillon, UNESCO; Joan Lombardi, Bernard van Leer Foundation; Sheila Manji, Aga Khan Foundation representing the Consultative Group on ECCD; Helia Molina, Pontificia Universidad Católica, Chile; Albert Motivans, UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Michelle Neumann, World Bank; María Victoria Peralta, OREALC/UNESCO regional office (LAC); Oliver Petrovic, UNICEF; Abbie Raikes, UNESCO; Nirmala Rao, University of Hong Kong; Marc Regnault de la Mothe, WFP; Dominic Richardson, OECD, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, Social Policy Division; Nicolas Ruege, UNICEF; Pablo Stansbery, Save the Children (US); Alfredo Tinajero, University of Toronto; Nitika Tolani-Brown, Save the Children (US); Nurper Ulkuer, UNICEF; Mami Umayahara, UNESCO regional office (Asia and Pacific); Ziba Vaghri, UBC, Human Early Learning Partnership; Emily Vargas-Barón, RISE Institute; Emiliana Vegas, World Bank; Donald Wertlieb, Tufts University; Aigly Zafeirakou, Global Partnership for Education; Louise Zimanyi, Consultative Group on ECD.. We would like to extend a special note of gratitude to Jody Heymann, Pablo Stansbery, and Clyde Hertzman, who were especially generous in donating their time and expertise towards the development of HECDI. We dedicate this project in memory of Clyde Hertzman and Patrice Engle, whose contributions to the field of early childhood were both ground-breaking and expansive. They are missed. This document was prepared by Abbie Raikes, with substantial assistance from Stellina Galitopoulou. 3 Abbreviations AIDS Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome LBW Low birth weight ARV Antiretroviral MDG Millennium Development Goal BCG Bacillus Calmette–Guérin MERG Monitoring and Evaluation Reference Group (UNAIDS) CDC Center for Disease Control MICS Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey CEECD Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development MVCV Measles virus-containing vaccine CESCR Covenant on Economic, Social and NCHS National Center for Health Statistics (US) Cultural Rights NEET Not in education, employment or training CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child NGO Non-governmental organization DHS Demographic and Health Surveys (USAID) OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation DTP Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis and Development ECCE Early childhood care and education OHCHR Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN) ECD Early childhood development OPV Oral polio vaccine EDI Early Development Index ORT Oral rehydration therapy EFA Education for All PPE Pre-primary education GHWA Global Health Workforce Alliance PRIDI Regional Project on Child Development HECDI Holistic Early Childhood Development Indicators (IDB) Index SABER Systems Approach for Better Education HELP Human Early Learning Partnership Results (World Bank) HIV Human immunodeficiency virus UIS UNESCO Institute for Statistics ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and UK United Kingdom Political Rights UN United Nations ICDS Integrated Child Development Service (India) UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS IDB Inter-American Development Bank UNDP United Nations Development Programme IFS Institute for Fiscal Studies UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and IGME Inter-agency Group for Mortality Cultural Organization Estimation (UN) UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund ILO International Labour Organization US United States of America IPV Inactivated polio vaccine USAID United States Agency for International ISCED International Standard Classification of Development Education WCEFA World Conference on Education for All IUGR Intrauterine growth restriction WHO World Health Organization JMP Joint Monitoring Programme (WHO/ UNICEF) 5 Table of Contents Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................... 3 Abbreviations................................................................................................................................ 5 Summary....................................................................................................................................... 9 Section.1:.Rationale.and.process.for.HECDI.................................................................................12 Rationale for a holistic index ........................................................................................................................12 Framework development process ................................................................................................................12 Section.2:.Using.HECDI.now.........................................................................................................15 1. Discuss the conceptual framework and key questions in an inter-sectoral group ...............................15 2. Identify sources of data available to measure progress towards HECDI targets and subtargets .........15 3. Use available data to fill in the conceptual model with country- or region-level indicators, for use in strategic planning and target-setting..........................................................................................16 Section.3:.Building.a.holistic.index..............................................................................................17 1. Analyse existing data and participate in current global surveys .............................................................17 2. Identify and prioritize which data are most needed ................................................................................19 3. Develop new indicators .............................................................................................................................19 4. Pilot new indicators ..................................................................................................................................20 5. Institutionalize indicators .........................................................................................................................20 Section.4:.Planning.for.a.holistic.ECD.system..............................................................................22 Section.5:.HECDI.targets,.subtargets.and.proposed.indicators...................................................24 Target 1: Survival, development and learning ..............................................................................................26 Target 2: Home environment ........................................................................................................................30 Target 3: Access to quality services .............................................................................................................36 Target 4: Children’s rights ............................................................................................................................40 Conclusion....................................................................................................................................42 References...................................................................................................................................43 7 Summary Early childhood is a period of tremendous growth. Extending from conception to the age of 8, early childhood experiences carve out pathways towards health and well-being that persist throughout life. Supporting early childhood development, especially for the most vulnerable children, requires coordinated action to ensure health care, adequate nutrition,