21 March 2025

The Early Childhood Workforce Initiative (ECWI) held an online seminar titled The Global Dialogue on the Early Childhood Workforce, in partnership with the Arab Network for Early Childhood (ANECD), the International Step by Step Association (ISSA), the African Early Childhood Network (AfECN), the Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC).

The critical global dialogue brought together policymakers, researchers, donors, and leading organizations at local, regional, and global levels concerned with the early childhood sector. The participants discussed the future of early childhood professionals and workers, as well as strategies for elevating and supporting the early childhood workforce. They also highlighted the achievements of regional networks and amplifying evidence- based advocacy efforts.

Additionally, they shared experiences from a variety of countries, including Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Gambia, and several Arab countries, with the goal of expanding benefits and mobilizing greater investments in professionalization, mental health, and systemic reforms.

The discussion addressed two main topics: the first focused on the regional workforce priorities that have been addressed in this phase of the initiative, and the achievements across the region and at country level. The second topic involved participants sharing emerging workforce- related priorities from different regions and discussing how the workforce cross- regional initiative could become a powerful platform for driving cross- regional cooperation, learning and inform effective system- level change.

Moreover, ANECD’s coordinator Mohamad Albekaii addressed how ANECD approaches workforce issues, explaining that it is one main pillar of ANECD’s 5 intervention areas. He pointed out that ANECD addresses these intervention areas, and the workforce mainly, through three working approaches: the first is knowledge production, the second is partnership and advocacy with global initiatives and national networks, and these networks help in reaching the third approach which is policy intervention and impact.

Albekaii emphasized the critical importance of collaboration among the four regional networks in this project on shared themes and key issues. He noted that this cooperation provided an opportunity for knowledge exchange and strategic planning, while each network maintained its own priorities and interventions. He also clarified that ANECD prioritizes advocating for the rights of the workforce, particularly in the context of the poly-crises facing the Arab region, pointing out that these crises no longer affect only children and families, but also the child ecosystem.

ECD expert and researcher, Garene Kaloustian, presented the study conducted by ANECD on the working conditions of the ECD workforce in seven Arab countries: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, Tunisia, and Morocco. Kaloustian, the lead researcher of the study, explained the research methodology and the steps followed. She clarified that the aim of the study is to examine the landscape of professional development in early childhood across the countries included in the research.

ANCED General Coordinator, Dr. Ghassan Issa, also pointed out that, in addition to the aforementioned study, ANECD is working on a pilot project of MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) for early childhood front- liners.

It is worth mentioning that since 2016, ECWI has been working tirelessly to strengthen workforce policies, enhance professionalism, and integrate well-being into early childhood workforce development. Now, in its third phase, the initiative continues to reinforce regional efforts to ensure that early childhood workers receive the training, recognition, and support they deserve.