Early childhood, particularly the period from pregnancy to age three, is a critical period for children’s development, with life-long impacts on health, productivity and well-being.[1] Tanzania has an ambitious goal of ensuring that by 2026 all children aged 0-8 are on track to develop to their full potential. [2] The 2022 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) indicates the degree of progress needed to meet this goal. The DHS found that less than half of children (47%) aged 24-59 months living with their biological mother were developmentally on track in terms of health, learning and psychosocial well-being. [3]
A critical question for the government and its partners is: what are the possible pathways or routes to improving early childhood development (ECD) outcomes in Tanzania? To help answer this question, Thrive is reviewing public services related to ECD.