Strengthening Costing and Financing of SDG 4.2 in the Asia-Pacific Region

As a regional action plan to accelerate and monitor the progress of SDG 4.2, the Kathmandu Statement of Action (2018) was endorsed in the Third Asia-Pacific Regional Policy Forum on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). The statement identified increasing financial investments in ECCE as one of five priority areas. However, inadequate financing with lack of poor understanding on costing of relevant interventions remains major obstacle to achieve the global and regional targets. Evidence shows expenditure on ECCE as a percentage of GDP is far below the OECD average of 0.8 percent in most countries of the region. In addition, there is a lack of policy intention to review and analyze the resources required and the financial gap to achieve SDG 4.2 at regional and national levels.

Given this situation, UNESCO Bangkok with the financial support from the Government of the Republic of Korea, undertakes development of an evidence-informed costing and financing model for ECCE. The object is to equip policy-makers in Asia and the Pacific with a tool for realistic costing and formulating appropriate financing of SDG 4.2 to ensure systematic implementation of free and compulsory pre-primary education. Through the in-country technical support and capacity development activities, the project expect countries in Asia and the Pacific will increase government expenditure on ECCE and expand financial partnerships with all relevant stakeholders for equitable access to quality ECCE. 

Project Information Note: Strengthening Costing and Financing of SDG 4.2 in the Asia-Pacific Region

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