Evidence shows that nutrition in emergencies programmes with interventions to support responsive caregiving and early stimulation have a cumulative positive impact on young children’s nutritional status and other development outcomes, with benefits for both child and caregiver. Good nutrition in the early years of life is vital fuel for the developing brain and an essential component for the healthy development of children, as nutrition interventions provide affection, protection, opportunities for learning, and social interactions. Beyond outcomes for the individual child and family, early childhood development interventions have other positive societal outcomes, including poverty reduction, improved gender equity, better resilience to climate shocks, and increased empathy to support social cohesion and peacebuilding.
The Nutrition and Early Childhood Development in Emergencies Working Group
The Nutrition and Early Childhood Development in Emergencies Working Group exists to better support nutrition practitioners at the country-level with the needed Early Childhood Development in Emergencies expertise in both the prevention and response phases. The Working Group focuses on advancing the learning agenda in nutrition responses to humanitarian emergencies and providing technical support to practitioners as requested.
Key Activities
- Engage with country, regional, and global humanitarian actors within the nutrition sector and field of early development to share knowledge, practical guidance, and communication on nutrition and early childhood development in humanitarian settings
- Provide timely responses to ad-hoc country-level requests for support on nutrition and early childhood development in emergencies
Useful Links
- Webinar: Integrating early child development tools in nutrition emergencies programmes
- Webinar: How can Nutrition in Emergencies programmes optimize young child development?
- Early childhood development in emergencies | UNICEF
- Early Childhood Development in Emergencies: Integrated Programme Guide
- Quick Guide for Maximizing Early Childhood Development within Nutrition in Emergency Programmes
