3 September 2025

The Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN) and Grand Challenges Canada (GCC) have released a landscape report on the status of children globally that they commissioned in 2023 as ECDAN was preparing its 2024-2028 strategy. The purpose of this report is to illuminate the interwoven challenges children face today, while also honoring the resilience and potential they possess to help drive positive change for a better future. The report contains adaptive strategies and policy recommendations for forging a more secure and just future for children everywhere.

The report is based on the polycrisis that children are experiencing, in order to call for the adoption of an approach to policy-making, financing, and humanitarian response that puts children firmly at the center. It also calls for reimagining the way the Early Childhood Development sector thinks about children, stating: we need to reframe compartmentalized thinking about children’s stages of life to favor a holistic focus on the whole child as they navigate the life course; advocate for and invest in systems transformation; and maintain a deep commitment to supporting children to navigate, thrive, and emerge from the polycrisis.

Several key recommendations were put forward, foremost among them:

• Taking urgent and ongoing action on climate breakdown.
• Re-framing the language.
• Focusing on the most vulnerable children.
• Taking global action to improve child protection.
• Adopting a new approach to scaling and financing.
• Embracing new technology.

The report is meant to be read by policymakers, investors, advocates, educators, practitioners, and concerned citizens to heighten awareness, strengthen resolve, and drive meaningful action.

You may access the full report here.