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Moving Minds Alliance Urges World Leaders to Prioritise Early Childhood Development in Crisis Context at Summit for the Future
Moving Minds Alliance Urges World Leaders to Prioritise Early Childhood Development in Crisis Context at Summit for the Future
By: Michael Mike
As world leaders convene to reaffirm commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , produce an inter-governmentally negotiated, action-oriented Pact for the Future and forge a new consensus on multilateral solutions at the ongoing Summit of the Future in New York, the Moving Minds Alliance (MMA) has urged for prioritization of early childhood development in emergencies (ECDiE) for refugee, displaced, and host community children aged 0-8 and their caregivers.
A statement on Sunday by Lola Ayanda, Network Communications Manager
Moving Minds Alliance – International Rescue Committee UK, said in 2023 alone, over 10 million children were displaced.
The statement quoted MMA Director, Tricia Young to have said: “While all children in low-resource settings can face immense obstacles to attaining their full potential, those displaced, especially in crisis and conflict zones, are at a higher risk of physical, developmental, mental, and emotional harm. Hence deliberate efforts must be made to address their holistic and nurturing care needs.”,.
According to the statement: Early childhood development programming in humanitarian contexts faces unique challenges due to its cross-sectoral nature, encompassing health, nutrition, education, WASH, and protection. This multifaceted approach often struggles to find a clear place within the typically siloed humanitarian system, resulting in peripheral implementation rather than integration into standard procedures.
It added that effective ECD programmes require coordination across five key domains of child development: stimulation, education, health, nutrition, and protection. This necessitates strong collaboration among all sectors and the inclusion of support for parents and caregivers to provide nurturing care.
Moving Minds Alliance (MMA) in its Position Paper therefore urged that the Future summit discussions should prioritise specific actions and commitments on for governments, funders and INGOs as follows:
Governments should develop Inclusive National ECDiE Policies by establishing and fund comprehensive policies that include refugee children and their host communities, with these policies prioritizing quality and gender-transformative services, ensuring that children in all their diversity have equal opportunities to thrive.
It posited that “by investing in integrated ECD programmes, governments can enhance social cohesion between displaced populations and host communities, reducing potential conflicts and contributing to national stability and security. By fostering a culture of equity, peaceful conflict resolution, non-violence, diversity, empathy, and positive relationships, we create enabling environments that support children’s optimal development. These nurturing conditions not only benefit the children themselves but also have far-reaching positive impacts on their families, communities, and countries.”
It added that donors, funders, and philanthropic organisations should invest in High-Impact ECDiE Interventions, meaning that donors should allocate at least 10% of humanitarian funding to ECDiE programmes, ensuring early, equitable, and quality investments that lay the foundation for long- term societal benefits, with this including supporting local ECD actors with cultural and community expertise and increasing unrestricted multi-year, flexible funding to local and refugee-led organisations supporting children in humanitarian and development settings.
It also stated that funders should prioritise direct funding to local, national, and community organisations, noting that these stakeholders understand their communities and have the on-the-ground knowledge and capability to implement culturally relevant and sustainable ECD programmes, which are crucial for addressing the needs of displaced and crisis-affected populations and host communities.
It advised that development and humanitarian partners should prioritize ECD in Crisis Response, stressing that humanitarian organisations must integrate holistic multisectoral ECD within their core programming, ensuring that children aged 0-8 and their caregivers receive comprehensive support, urging that this integration should span the health, protection, education, and nutrition sectors.
It also advised that there should be enhance accountability and effectiveness, which should be collecting and reporting data disaggregated by age, sex, and disability to identify gaps in service provision and ensure accountability, as the data-driven approach will inform the design and implementation of more effective programmes for young children in crisis contexts.
It also called for strengthening of capacity sharing and coordination, urging humanitarian actors to support successful local solutions rather than displace them, and that they should foster effective coordination and communication mechanisms that empower local actors, ensuring that ECD interventions are culturally appropriate and sustainable.
It said the implementation of these recommendations will not only advance progress towards multiple SDGs but contribute to building more resilient, peaceful, and prosperous societies, adding that: “As we approach the 2030 deadline for the SDGs, the integration of ECDiE into national and international development strategies represents a critical opportunity to “leave no one behind” and secure a brighter future for generations to come.
“By embracing the principles outlined in the Pact for the Future and prioritising integrated approaches like ECDiE, we can accelerate progress towards sustainable development, thereby creating a world where every child, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to a more equitable and sustainable future.”
Moving Minds Alliance Urges World Leaders to Prioritise Early Childhood Development in Crisis Context at Summit for the Future
Shettima Hosts Gates Foundation Delegation as 2027 Political Calculations Begin
By: Michael Mike
Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Wednesday received a high-level delegation from the Gates Foundation at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, in a visit that observers say comes at a politically sensitive moment ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The delegation was led by the President of the foundation’s Global Growth and Opportunity division, Hari Menon, and included senior officials of the organisation’s Nigeria office. The team briefed the vice president on the foundation’s ongoing programmes and partnerships in Nigeria.
Posting on his verified Facebook page after the meeting, Shettima commended the foundation for its long-standing support to Nigeria in critical sectors such as health, agriculture and development.
“Yesterday, I received in audience a delegation of the Gates Foundation led by the President of the Foundation’s Global Growth and Opportunity (GGO) division, Mr. Hari Menon, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,” the vice president said.
“In my interaction with the delegation, I applauded the Gates Foundation for sustaining investments and humanitarian aid in Nigeria. Indeed, the Foundation remains the nation’s strategic partner in the drive to change the Nigerian narrative.”
The visit comes amid growing political conversations about the composition of the ruling ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential election and whether President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will retain Shettima as his running mate.
Although the meeting was officially centred on development cooperation, political watchers say the timing has drawn attention within policy and political circles, especially given the influence of the foundation founded by billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates.
Sources familiar with the engagement said discussions focused largely on the foundation’s interventions in Nigeria, including programmes aimed at improving public health, expanding agricultural productivity and supporting vulnerable populations.
During his visit to Nigeria, Menon also held diplomatic engagements, including a visit to the Indian High Commission where he met with the ambassador, Abhishek Singh.
The Gates Foundation has operated in Nigeria since 2000 and has been a key partner in several national initiatives, particularly in immunisation campaigns, disease control, nutrition and agricultural development. The organisation marked 25 years of its presence in the country in 2025.
Despite its extensive development footprint, some of the foundation’s programmes have occasionally attracted debate in Nigeria, particularly around issues such as genetically modified crops, vaccination initiatives and population policies.
Analysts say that as political alignments gradually begin ahead of 2027, high-profile international engagements by key government figures may increasingly attract attention beyond their immediate development objectives.
Shettima Hosts Gates Foundation Delegation as 2027 Political Calculations Begin
2027: Bill Gates Joins Campaign, Supports Shettima
By:Michael Mike
Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima has received a highly anticipated support to continue as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate in the 2027 presidential election from chairman of the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates.
The unusual support according to sources knowledgeable about the matter is a lifeline for the embattled vice president.
Shettima, whose fate as Tinubu’s running mate has been dangling in the balance received the boost after a delegation from Gates Foundation led by the president, Global Growth and Opportunity (GGO), Hari Menon visited Shettima at the Villa on Wednesday.
According to a post on the vice president’s verified Facebook page, the delegation which also included members of the foundation in Nigeria briefed the VP on its activities in Nigeria .
” Yesterday, I received in audience a delegation of the Gates Foundation, led by the President of the Foundation’s Global Growth and Opportunity (GGO) division, Mr. Hari Menon, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
” In my interaction with the delegation, I applauded the Gates Foundation for sustaining investments and humanitarian aid in Nigeria. Indeed, the Foundation remains the nation’s strategic partner in the drive to change the Nigerian narrative, ” Shettima said.
However, the meeting between the vice president and Bill Gates team had another purpose, to pass a vote of confidence on the VP in order to convince President Tinubu to retain him s running mate.
” There have been calls for the president to drop Shettima because of his political baggage and alleged links to the insurgency in the Northeast. Most of the pressure is coming from the United States that currently have soldiers on the ground in nigeria, providing support for the Nigerian military.
” What better way to shore up support than to bring the biggest philanthropist to Nigeria in order to prove that he still hs some international connections, ” the source said.
In his visit to Nigeria, Menon who is of Indian heritage also visited the Indian High Commission to Nigeria, meeting with the ambassador, Abhishek Singh.
The Gates Foundation has been active in Nigeria since 2000 and it celebrated its 25th years in the country last year. Activities of the foundation has also come under scrutiny for many years especially it’s support for population control, Genetically Modified Organisms in agriculture and questionable polio immunisation.
2027: Bill Gates Joins Campaign, Supports Shettima
State Police: Group Commends Tinubu, Urges Accelerated Action
By: Michael Mike
A good governance advocacy group, the Hope Alive Initiative (HAI), has commended President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges and for rallying state governors toward a framework for the establishment of state police.
In a press statement issued Wednesday in Abuja by its Director of Press and Communications, Ernest Omoarelojie, the group said lasting peace and stability in the country require a multi-layered approach that empowers communities while strengthening national coordination.
According to HAI, the establishment of state police would enhance citizens’ participation in security matters and align with Nigeria’s federal system.
The group noted that many states already operate regional security outfits and vigilante groups, stressing that legislative backing is necessary to ensure such initiatives function efficiently and complement the federal government’s security architecture.
HAI said localised policing would allow officers to better understand the terrain, culture, and unique security challenges within their communities, thereby improving rapid response and strengthening public trust in efforts to combat crime and insurgency.
The organisation also commended the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) for submitting a proposed state police framework to the Office of the National Security Adviser. It, however, urged governors to intensify support for the existing security architecture to address ongoing threats.
The group further welcomed recent security cooperation agreements between Nigeria and partners including the United States, United Kingdom, and France. According to HAI, the partnerships are expected to strengthen advanced training, intelligence sharing, and technological support in the fight against terrorism, banditry, and organised crime.
HAI emphasised that security remains the foundation of national development, noting that combining grassroots policing with global alliances would help create a safer environment, attract investment, and restore public confidence.
The group also praised the Nigerian military for sustaining operations against terrorists and bandits across the country and urged troops not to relent in protecting communities from criminal elements that target civilians to spread fear and panic.
It expressed confidence that the federal government would continue to provide the armed forces with the necessary equipment and welfare support needed to sustain operations and secure victory against threats to national security.
The organisation further highlighted the significance of President Tinubu’s recent state visit to the United Kingdom, where he was hosted by King Charles III. According to HAI, the visit underscores Nigeria’s growing influence in global affairs.
It added that the President’s engagement with Nigerian community leaders in the UK demonstrated the important role of the diaspora in national development and could encourage greater investment and knowledge transfer to the country.
HAI urged government institutions, civil society organisations, and citizens to support ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening security and building a more prosperous Nigeria.
State Police: Group Commends Tinubu, Urges Accelerated Action
Shettima Hosts Gates Foundation Delegation as 2027 Political Calculations Begin
2027: Bill Gates Joins Campaign, Supports Shettima
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