43% Children Face Developmental Risk Globally

Faiza Gilani

Muzaffarabad: The Director-General of Health in Azad Jammu and Kashmir emphasized a worrying fact: more than 43% of children under 5 worldwide are at risk of not achieving their full developmental potential. This risk is attributed to multiple factors, such as poverty, insufficient nutrition, restricted access to crucial services and early enriching opportunities.

He emphasized that providing interventions for early childhood development to all young children and families is a crucial and cost-effective means of ensuring that even the most vulnerable children have the chance to achieve their maximum potential.

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The SUN Secretariat, in collaboration with the Planning and Development Department of AJK and UNICEF, organized a two-day workshop at the Kashmir Institute of Management. The workshop aimed to expedite the early childhood development agenda in AJK and raise awareness among line departments and stakeholders about its significance.

During the event, Dr Saba Shuja, an ECD Manager from Pakistan, conducted a session focusing on the ECD nurturing care framework. Additionally, Dr Uzma Bukhari delivered a technical session on key family care practices.

In the closing remarks, the Secretary of Planning and Development expressed gratitude to the government, developmental partners, and all stakeholders for their active participation. He highlighted the importance of their involvement in making the training fruitful and ensuring the smooth implementation of an integrated approach to ECD in AJK.