Call For Papers
Conference Theme
Investing in Early Childhood Development – Building Human Capital
Sub-themes
1: Economics & Sustainable Mechanisms - Innovative Approaches to ECD Finances
- Global economic evidence on high returns to ECD with reference to Asia’s demographic transition and human capital dividend - Case Study from Pakistan
- Investment scenarios linking ECD to national productivity, public financing frameworks from OECD and LMICs, and blended finance and innovative PPP models (Country examples: Chile Crece Contigo, Singapore, Rwanda, Vietnam)
- Venture philanthropy and catalytic capital, corporate social responsibility models and faith-based giving
- Family foundations and diaspora philanthropy
- Linking climate justice with child development, green ECD centers and climate-adaptive infrastructure, carbon finance mechanisms for caregiving programs
2: Nurturing Care Across Cultures & Innovations
- Parenting models and family-strengthening systems – Key Family Care Practices(KFCPs) & Scaling-up Parenting Programme in Pakistan
- Responsive Caregiving
- RDI/Rupani Foundation’s AWIP model as a regional example
- Digital parenting platforms and remote learning tools
- EdTech innovations from Singapore, Malaysia
3: Health, Nutrition, Safety & Security
- Integrating developmental milestones, early detection & early intervention into Pakistan’s primary health care services
- AI-based early detection and developmental screening
- Stunting prevention through adequate nutrition – it starts in the womb
- Healthy dietary practices & food security
4: Strengthening the ECD Workforce & Regional Cooperation
- Academic pathways through Centers of Excellence (e.g., AIOU)
- Credentialing, scholarships, and digital upskilling
- Workforce mobility across the region
- Capacity-building initiatives and cross-country learning
- Regional cooperation for quality assurance in ECD
5: Research, Measurement & Accountability Systems
- Understanding the role of WHO Global Scale for Early Development (GSED) in ECD Measurement
- Strengthening indicators, data systems, and tracking
- Global measurement frameworks (MECCE, SABER-ECD)
- Academic collaboration and regional research networks
6: Caregivers’ Mental Health & MHPSS Integration
- Caring for the caregivers, global best practices
- WHO maternal mental health frameworks
- Integrating mental health into primary healthcare
- Holistic mind–body–spirit models (e.g., Ibn Sina Foundation)
7: Early Learning Opportunities
- Strengthen Home and Community Based Learning Environments by equipping parents and caregivers with structural guidance to provide early stimulation, language exposure, and nurturing interactions during conception to 3 years of age.
- Design Play-Based Early Learning Spaces that are safe, inclusive, and stimulating that promote exploration, creativity, social-emotional growth, and foundational literacy and numeracy in pre-primary schools.
- Ensure strong transition and foundational skills in the early primary years; align curriculum, teaching practices, and assessment to build reading fluency, numeracy competence, executive function, and problem-solving skills.
- Train educators, engage families, build climate-resilient, child-friendly infrastructure, and ensure continuous monitoring to ensure equitable and scalable early learning access from conception to age 8.
Instructions / Guidelines for Abstract Submission & Oral Presentation:
Selected papers will be published in the recognised Journal of Early Childhood Care & Education, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad.
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