A Joint Statement by CE International and ECDtf – En español
Dear ECDtf Community, 
The Early Childhood Development Task Force (ECDtf) emerged from the 2012 inception of the Global Partnership on Children with Disabilities (GPCwD), where stakeholders committed to addressing the challenges andopportunities within early childhood development as a foundational pathway to inclusive development. Since then, the network has expanded to represent 118 countries, contributing to positive global momentum for the inclusion of young children with disabilities (CwD).
Over the past decade, many areas of the world have seen increases in inclusive policies for education, health, and early intervention services, along with shifts in cultural and attitudinal barriers. Greater awareness, visibility, and agency for CwD have helped reduce social stigma, and prejudice. ECDtf members and many others have been essential to these advances. We are grateful for the dedicated professionals who work every day to support children’s full inclusion in their communities, schools, and nations. Our collective reach has been influential, and we remain committed to ensuring that no country is left behind.
However, recent shifts in the value placed on inclusion have drawn concern, with troubling effects on policies and investment. While most countries have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and have established national legislation, global progress toward implementing inclusive practices remains slow. In some nations, specific actions and policies have moved in the opposite direction of full disability inclusion. This is deeply concerning, particularly amid decreasing global aid and national investment in the social sector, where inclusive ECD has long been underfunded and deprioritized. These shifts risk impeding progress and stalling momentum in countries where inclusion has not yet taken hold.
We are at a crossroads: even as we work to advance inclusion for young children, we must also safeguard the progress we have already achieved.
To begin, we must acknowledge the threats to inclusion, including:
- Increases in institutionalization, as some nations and communities view segregated, single-purpose facilities easier or less costly.
- Growing exclusionary practices, where children who need specialized services are placed on waitlists with no corresponding access to service delivery.
- Reduced investment and divestment in inclusion, driven by concerns about cost even though we know the cost of exclusion is far greater and presents long-term societal risks for children.
- Retreats from human rights commitments, including a growing disregard of the rights of people with disabilities.
- The rapid proliferation of misinformation and disinformation, including incomplete or inaccurate theories about the causes of developmental delays and disabilities. The speed at which misinformation spreads through media platforms, social networks, and artificial intelligence is particularly troublesome and dangerous, particularly if accessed by parents, teachers, and practitioners.
These challenges are numerous and growing. Inclusive early childhood and education have been tested in various ways through the years, and we have consistently risen to meet the moment to support parents, teachers, and communities who have the best interests of all children at heart. Today, we call on you to continue prioritizing the inclusion of children with disabilities and developmental delays remains a priority in your schools, clinics, communities, and nations.
The ECDtf can serve as a place of support that brings us together. We must use our community to uphold the highest standards, protect effective practices, share credible and validated research, and continue to advocating for policies that advance inclusion for young children with disabilities.
We must face this crossroads with determination and forge a new path forward – one that ensures no country is left behind.
Diane Whitehead
CEO, Childhood Education International
Marisol Moreno
Lead Coordinator of the ECDtf Core Leadership Group