August 2025, World: Launch of UNICEF’s new report on early childhood development in Eastern and Southern Africa

UNICEF’s recently-launched report, Igniting the Potential of Young Children presents the latest evidence on early childhood development (ECD) in Eastern and Southern Africa, offers a comprehensive statistical profile across five key domains of the Nurturing Care Framework. It is worth mentioning that birth registration is considered therein as a key intervention in a region where 48 million children remain unregistered and 13 million whose births are reported as registered but who lack proof in the form of a birth certificate.

In addition to another recent resource on this issue, drafted and published by Hope and Homes for Children together with a number of partners including Child Identity Protection (CHIP), UNICEF’s publication offers a regional perspective and focuses on key issues to be addressed to ensure early childhood development in Eastern and Southern Africa.

CHIP welcomes both these resources as they ensure that children’s identity rights are taken into account from birth and reflect how a child’s legal identity may ensure access to a number of other rights.

See: UNICEF, Igniting the Potential of Young Children presents the latest evidence on early childhood development (ECD) in Eastern and Southern Africa, 2025.