Thursday Jan 22, 2026
Thursday Jan 22, 2026
Thursday, 22 January 2026 05:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka used the global stage recently to highlight its expanding focus on early childhood development and caregiving reforms, as Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj participated in the inaugural Global Caregiver Forum 2026 held in Madrid, Spain.
The two-day forum, which began on 15 January under the patronage of Queen Letizia of Spain, brought together policymakers, development experts, and global institutions to shape an international roadmap for early childhood development.
The event was organised in collaboration with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the LEGO Foundation, reflecting a growing global consensus that caregiving and early childhood investment are central to long-term social and economic outcomes.
Minister Paulraj took part as a panellist in the final plenary of the closing session titled “Looking Forward and Next Steps,” alongside senior policymakers and sector leaders from Kazakhstan, Portugal, Ireland, and international parenting and family support organisations. The discussion focused on translating global commitments into national action, particularly in low- and middle-income countries facing structural and post-crisis challenges.
During the session, Sri Lanka outlined a series of policy and program-level interventions aimed at strengthening early childhood care and development. These included the Step-Up communication program designed to promote child health during early childhood, as well as plans to introduce a unified national preschool curriculum by 2027. The proposed curriculum reform will be supported by structured training for approximately 19,000 preschool teachers, signalling a shift towards standardisation and quality assurance in early learning across the country.
The Minister also highlighted the National Multi-Sectoral Strategic Action Plan for Early Childhood Care and Development for 2025-2029, which aims to coordinate health, education, and social protection responses. Complementing this is a five-year program to be implemented at provincial and district levels to support children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, including autism, reflecting an increased policy emphasis on inclusion and specialised care.
Sri Lanka’s broader post-crisis recovery efforts were also presented at the Forum, with the Government’s “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” and “Healing Sri Lanka” initiatives cited as examples of integrated approaches to restoring livelihoods and social well-being following disasters. These initiatives reportedly drew positive attention from State leaders and international participants, particularly for their focus on vulnerable populations.
Sri Lanka’s participation at the Global Caregiver Forum comes amid growing international recognition that early childhood development is not only a social issue but a long-term investment in human capital.
By positioning its domestic reforms within this global framework, Sri Lanka signalled its intent to align national caregiving policies with emerging international standards and best practices.
The Sri Lankan delegation to the Forum included Minister Paulraj, Women and Child Affairs Ministry National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development Director Nilushika Dhanasekara, and UNICEF Sri Lanka Education Officer Shashikala Sumudu Kumari Ratnayake.
