A Call to Action for Global Early Child Development

Early child development is the strongest tool available for improving the health and education of young people and breaking the cycle of inherited poverty in the developing world. Quality early child development programs improve physical and mental development, educational outcomes, and human capital formation.

On December 4, the Wolfensohn Center for Development at Brookings and the Committee for Economic Development hosted a discussion on the importance of early child development and its impact on sustainable economic development in the developing world. Panelists discussed this critical issue and offer recommendations for how we can translate valuable lessons from science and economics into practical programming to lift millions of children out of poverty.

Panelists included Ruth Levine, vice president at the Center for Global Development; Joan Lombardi, research professor at the Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University; and Gene Sperling, director at the Center for Universal Education, Council on Foreign Relations. Senior Fellow Johannes Linn, executive director of the Wolfensohn Center, provided welcoming remarks and James Wolfensohn, former president of the World Bank and chairman and chief executive officer of Wolfensohn & Company, provided introductory remarks. Charles Kolb, president of the Committee for Economic Development, moderated the event.