Summary:
This policy seeks to increase development opportunities for early childhood in Colombia (in Spanish, "Política Pública Nacional de Primera Infancia").
Description:
The overall objective of this policy is to promote comprehensive development for children from pregnancy until 6 years old according to their needs and characteristics. The policy ultimately seeks to reduce inequality in Colombia (in Spanish, the name of this policy is “Política Pública Nacional de Primera Infancia ‘Colombia por la primera infancia'”). It was first introduced as a part of the National Plan of Development and aims to implement Colombia’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The policy highlights the crucial role early childhood plays in establishing physiological development, as well as the benefits of maintaining a healthy population for national progress. It specifically addresses reducing inequalities in health and well-being.
Among the key objectives, it is foreseen that authorities shall promote the health, nutrition, and healthy environments for children. The policy recognizes that “adequate food and nutrition in early childhood are…a determining factor in the neurological mechanisms that promote learning, health and favorable behavior throughout life”.
In Colombia’s legal system, such policies act as guidelines and general recommendations to facilitate concrete actions by relevant authorities.