Ensure that future organizational arrangements for ECD such as the proposed "ECD global solution area" are able to provide a well-coordinated and strategic framework for ECD, with clarity on leadership, ability to join up on issues across Global Practices and Cross Cutting Solution Areas, and appropriate staff and resources for effective ECD programming.
Multi-sector teams rarely supervise ECD interventions, except for operations containing child protection interventions. Synergies have not been established between the Bank's work in gender and early childhood development. The absence of a coordinating function within the Bank meant that coordination occurred in only a few of the countries that were visited by IEG. When cross-sector coordination occurred, it was based on staff initiative, rather than organizational practices. In its absence the Bank depends on the knowledge, initiative, and skills of individual staff members, leading to significant variation in approaches and intensity of investment across countries. While sector strategies mention early childhood development and individually address ECD elements, there are gaps. A strategic framework would bring clarity in relation to the following aspects: (1) who is in charge of ECD and responsible for coordinating within the Bank and partners (2) what is the Bank's approach toward the development of children (3) what is the Bank's long-term vision and (4) how will the Bank position itself so that it will be an important player in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals in relation to ECD.
WB: Agree. The elements of a strategic framework for ECD are now essentially in place. ECD is more prominent than in the past in the strategic areas of focus for the main Global Practices involved in ECD work. Guidance on multi-sectoral ECD policies interventions has also been developed. ECD will benefit from a dedicated Global Solutions Lead for leadership and cross-GP coordination. In countries, Program Leaders play an important role and the Global Solutions Lead will work closely with them in coordinating ECD programming to respond to country needs. However, staff and resource allocation will be decided based on the overall resource envelope, client's demand and strategic priorities across all sectors.
Action 1: Establish an operational Global Solution Group (GSG) for ECD in collaboration with relevant GPs and CCSAs.
Indicator: Active GSG that reflects contributions from all relevant GPs and CCSAs.
Baseline: The GSG lead for ECD was appointed in May 2015, and a first meeting of the GSG for ECD (including with Education, HNP, and Social Protection & Labor) took place in June 2015. The specific scope of activities and operating principles of the GSG for ECD are not yet defined.
Targets: (a) TORs and a support structure established for the GSG, in collaboration with each participating GP. The TORs would clarify the objectives of the GSG its scope and contents the role and responsibilities of (i) the GSGâs global lead, (ii) the âconnectorsâ across practices, and (iii) the affiliates or members across practices. The TORs would also explore opportunities to incentivize collaborations across relevant practices (b) Plan of activities defined for the GSG and implemented on an annual basis, in collaboration with each participating GP.
Timeline: FY16 for Target (a) Annually starting in FY17 for Target (b).
The ECD Global Solution Group (GSG) has been in operation for two fiscal years and coordination is facilitated by The ECD Lead and connectors in SPL, HNP, and region. Significant progress has been made to provide a more coordinated approach for ECD programming. This agenda is lead from both the HD VP office and Education GP. The ECD GSG has an active list serve- members receive a quarterly newsletter, updates for learning events, and dissemination of the Early Years work. The connectors and GSG Leads have monthly meetings. The ECD GSG offers regular learning events for members. As a member of the GSG, I can attest to the high level of involvement and activities. Entry points have been initiated in client countries with the Africa Early Years Fellowship. A business plan, which plans out new business development, regional priorities, future knowledge agenda, capacity development for staff, is being developed. A well-coordinated organizational arrangement, which align with IEG's recommendation, is evident. The early years agenda was highlighted at the HD Learning Week and Spring and annual meetings and communications. The ECD Action Network, a cross-agency initiative that the Bank is involved, is another activity that may support better coordination at the global level and at the country-level.
The ECD GSG continues to be a strong and functional GSG, with cross-sectoral engagement with more than 200 members and has fulfilled Targets (a) and (b) for Action 1. The annual plan of activities includes a range of strategies to communicate with and engage ECD GSG members, including: a quarterly newsletter, a newly developed ECD GSG webpage, quarterly meetings and regular learning events, as well as quarterly convening of the regional focal points, and weekly meetings with the connectors and other relevant global leads through the Investing in the Early Years work. New innovations include the launch of the Africa Early Years Fellowship, which attracted 3,000 applicants for 20 spots for promising young African professionals to work in their home countries with the World Bank and governments to support the cross-sectoral ECD agenda, while also enrolled in an extensive professional development program.
The ECD GSG has been a key driver of the successful launch and implementation of the cross-sectoral Investing in the Early Years Initiative, which is led by the HD VP's office. Through this work, 21 "first wave" countries have been identified for increased investments in ECD, as well as strong engagement in planning high profile events at the Spring and Annual Meetings. In this work, the ECD GSG Lead and team members work closely (almost daily) with the nutrition global lead (Meera Shekar) and the ECD GSG connectors from SP (Laura Rawlings) and HNP (Leslie Elder).
In addition, a more expansive "ECD Business Plan" will be completed and reviewed by education management by October 2018, which includes a work plan and strategy on new business development, regional priorities, the knowledge agenda, strategic staffing and capacity building. While this business plan will be centered in the Education GP (all GSG Leads in education are developing such a plan), it will emphasize cross-sectoral engagement.
The ECD GSG was strongly represented within HD week, working with the Early Years Core Team on a cross-sectoral curriculum, with more than 15 events. The ECD GSG Lead also has worked with partners at UNICEF to launch the ECD Action Network, a new cross-agency initiative to support ECD globally and at the country level.
Considerable progress has been made in relation to the organizational arrangements of the ECD Global Solution Group, as a result of high level interest that has been generated by the WBG President and HD VP. In previous years, the WBG stressed the importance of early nutrition. This year the WB has made an important shift in communicating the importance of early stimulation, adequate health and nutrition, and protection from vulnerable situations. Communicating this message has cemented the need for coordination and has helped the ECD work to be connected with nutrition, rather than two separate ends.
Several concrete steps have been taken that give the foundation for institutionalizing greater coordination among GPs related to young children. The ECD Lead has been appointed to ensure the work is coordinated beyond the Education GP. Connectors within SP and HNP have been appointed. The connectors are well respected leaders and knowledgeable not only of the sector but of ECD. In addition, regional connectors are in place. A list serve has been developed which is composed predominantly from HD staff, but includes some from other GPs. This suggests important in roads have been developed outside the HD, which could lead to leveraging other entry points to reach young children and families in client countries. While a General TOR has been produced for the ECD GSG, the specific one envisaged as a target in the action plan for this fiscal year will be developed next year. However, this should not be viewed as a performance shortcoming, as the broader achievements (i.e. presentations at the Annual meeting, WB-Unicef ECD Action Network, consistent communication of messages, HD VP presentation to CDs in the Africa region, resources from TF and Country Engagement, Bank's Foundation Advisory Council Meeting) show how much has been accomplished in relation to establishing a well-coordinated organizational arrangement, which align with IEG's recommendation, rather than the narrower target established in the Bank's action plan.
The ECD GSG is off to an extremely strong start. After only one year of operational existence, the ECD GSG is now fully established as a cross-sectoral GSG with officially appointed connectors in SP (Laura Rawlings) and HNP (leslie Elder) since June 2015. Regional connectors were also appointed by their managers in this past FY (i.e. Ciro Avitabile in LAC, Amanda Devercelli in AFR, Sachiko Kataoka in ECA, Samira Halabi in MENA, Amer Hassan in EAP, and Mari Shojo in SAR). The ECD GSG now has a list serve (WBECDOP) of more than 200 affiliates across the three HD practices (and a few colleagues outside of HD as well). In addition, in light of President JYK's recent focus on stunting, the ECG GSG has coordinated closely with the Nutrition GSG in HNP (led by Meera Shekar) under the leadership of the HDVP to ensure consistent and coherent corporate messages around the early years (in a way that includes and reflects the key inputs that young children need to reach their full potential in life, including adequate nutrition, early stimulation/learning, and protection from vulnerable situations). Both the ECD and nutriton GSGs have also coordinated closely with other relevant practices (i.e. WASH, AG) and CCSAs (i.e. Gender, and IFC).
General TORs have been produced for all HD GSGs, and individual GSGs were not required to produce specific TORs. However, attached is a 2 page note that summarizes how the Bank is framing the topic of ECD/the Early Years across HD (and beyond when relevant) and the Bank's multi-sectoral response both internally and externally. More specific TORs for the ECD GSG (including an action plan for FY17) will be finalized by September 2016.