Fostering Early Years Engagement
We believe that strong policies, sustainable financing, and informed public discourse are the foundation for equitable and quality early childhood development (ECD) in Uganda.
Our Policy, Advocacy, and Communications work is focused on driving systemic change that prioritizes the needs, rights, and potential of young children, especially the most marginalized.
We work to shift mindsets, mobilize action, and influence the systems that shape their earliest years.
Boosts Service Uptake & Quality
We drive increased use and quality of ECD services. Engaged families understand their value, leading to better outcomes for children and improved service delivery.
Mobilizes Political Will & Investment
Our work fuels commitment and investment for the ECD sector. Highlighting early years returns helps leaders prioritize vital policies and resources for child development.
Empowers Families & Communities
We empower parents and communities to be active advocates. Through information and dialogue, they gain knowledge to inspire collective action for children’s foundational support.
We use proven Data-Driven Strategies to inspire action and shift behaviors
Influencing ECD Policy & Legislation
We work closely with government ministries, Parliament, CSOs, and partners to ensure Uganda’s policy and legal environment supports holistic early childhood development.
Our current priorities include:
- Supporting the development, implementation and financing of the ECCE Policy and its Implementation Standards and Guidelines
- Engaging with the Education Policy Review Commission to integrate ECD into national education reform
- Contributing to national strategies on gender, inclusive education, and violence prevention in early learning spaces
Financing for ECD
We believe every shilling invested in a child’s early years has exponential returns.
We conduct:
- Expenditure reviews.
- Analysis of public investment trends in ECD sectors (education, health, nutrition, protection)
- Strategic dialogues with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies and local governments to increase allocations for pre-primary and ECD services
Public Engagement & Strategic Communications
We elevate ECD on the national agenda through campaigns, media partnerships, and storytelling.
We:
- Create accessible, values-based messaging that resonates with all stakeholders
- Run public campaigns to raise awareness of Early Childhood Development
- Train local champions, including district leaders, teachers, and youth to advocate within their communities.
What makes our approach unique?
- Evidence-led, community-informed: We bridge grassroots realities with high-level decision-making.
- Multi-sectoral: We work across education, health, nutrition, gender, and protection sectors.
- Child-centered and equity-driven: Our advocacy always centers on the most vulnerable.
- Creative and collaborative: We design toolkits, develop scorecards, co-create campaigns, and convene platforms to amplify others.
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Key Campaigns and Initiatives
Key Campaigns and Initiatives
Key Campaigns and Initiatives
Driving Early Childhood Action
Early Years Count Uganda utilizes Communication for Development (C4D) – a proven, systematic, and evidence-based approach – to create positive and measurable behavior change. We aim to empower parents and communities to take individual and collective actions that promote optimal early childhood development.
