Early childhood development isn鈥檛 a new concept. But 2016 was the year when a global聽movement began to grow 鈥� a movement聽demanding that聽all children get the nurturing care they need.

It鈥檚 important for all young聽children that they have access to聽health, nutrition, play, learning and protection. But in the developing world in particular it can be the vital element that sees a child stay in education and fulfil their potential into adult life.

As we count down towards the end of 2016, we look at some of the achievements,聽challenges and reports from this year and the issues聽facing early childhood development in聽the poorest countries in 2017.

The #5for5 campaign

sa国际传媒 launched the ground-breaking #5for5 global campaign about the importance of early childhood development 鈥撀爃ighlighting that these tender years are crucial and will map out the rest of a child鈥檚 life. They are so important they can even impact on a developing country鈥檚 economy.

By the time a child reaches five years old, 90% of their brain has already developed 鈥� which means the progression from birth to school is the most important time of their lives.

#5for5 aims to raise awareness of early childhood development and put pressure on world leaders to take urgent action to make sure all young children have access to the care they need, including nutrition, health, learning, play and protection.听

5 seconds. 5 steps. 5 goals. It鈥檚 all #5for5.

The Education Commission

A group of world leaders and experts聽spent a year researching and analysing the state of global education and delivered a聽major report called The Learning Generation to the United Nations in September.

The 聽warned聽hundreds of millions of children around the world will be robbed of their future unless immediate action is taken. It said every child should have two years of free, quality pre-school education.

At the report launch in New York, UNICEF Chief Executive Anthony Lake said: 鈥淚nvesting from the earliest days of a child鈥檚 life is critical to the development of the brain. It is a once in a lifetime chance to build the future of a child 鈥� no stage in a child鈥檚 life is more important.鈥�

In the world鈥檚 high-income countries,聽87% of children go to preschool. But in low-income countries it is only 23%.听The 鈥� a radical plan to give every child the same education opportunities 鈥� will see those numbers jump to 89% by 2030 and 99% by 2040.

Why the first 1000 days are so crucial聽

Properly-funded policies and programmes during the first 1000 days of a child鈥檚 life could help 250 million at-risk girls and boys.听

Those crucial days are when a child most needs development care including early learning, health, nutrition, play and security. Yet many children are exposed to poor sanitation, infections, lack of nurturing care and inadequate stimulation during this period,聽said the findings from .听

鈥淚ncreasing numbers of children are surviving 鈥� but begin life at a disadvantage because they do not receive the nurturing care they need,鈥� said series author Professor Linda Richter of South Africa鈥檚 University of the Witwatersrand.听

鈥淧olitical prioritisation, legislation and financing of early childhood development programmes are key to ensuring their success, as is creating a policy environment that supports nurturing care.鈥�

Millions will miss out warns UNICEF

A lack of early childhood development will deprive hundreds of millions of children the chance to fulfil their potential, UNICEF warned.

The vast numbers of children missing out on learning in their early years is hugely concerning,聽.

Executive Director Anthony Lake said: 鈥淒enying hundreds of millions of children a fair chance in life does more than threaten their futures 鈥� by fuelling intergenerational cycles of disadvantage, it imperils the future of their societies.

鈥淲e have a choice 鈥� invest in these children now or allow our world to become still聽more unequal and divided.鈥澛�

Snapshot of聽millions being left behind

In many of the poorest parts of the world, huge numbers of girls and boys are being 鈥渓eft behind鈥� because of factors like malnutrition and inadequate childcare in their early years.

The findings for 53 countries across Africa聽were revealed聽in a聽聽that looked聽at equity and early childhood development on the continent.

The report said: 鈥淭he data tells a very clear story聽鈥撀爉illions of children are being left behind at every developmental milestone and those left behind are disproportionately poor.鈥�

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Brain tests can聽predict future for three-year-olds聽

At the age of three, brain tests聽seem聽to predict a child鈥檚 future chance of success in life,聽according to聽researchers.听

Low scores in聽cognitive tests for skills聽such as聽language indicate less developed brains, they said. This聽could be the result of聽too little stimulation in early life and these聽children聽are more likely to become criminals or聽be聽dependent on welfare or chronically ill unless they are given support later on. 聽

The聽New Zealand study聽appeared聽in the journal聽Nature Human Behaviour. Professor聽Terrie Moffitt, from Duke University in North Carolina, who co-led the study,聽: 鈥淭he earlier children receive support the better.听

鈥淭hat is because if a child is sent off on the wrong foot at three and not ready for school they fall further and further behind in a snowball effect that makes them unprepared for adult life鈥�.听

Kenyan report shows more action is needed

础听聽said聽almost 40% of Kenyan children aged three and four are not reaching their developmental milestones.

Kenya has made progress over the past 15 years in improving access to early years care 鈥� but more action is needed to ensure every child has the best start in life.听

Without it, children from the poorest and most marginalised groups will continue to be left behind their peers and unable to fulfil their potential at work and in the community.

Allan Ragi, Executive Director, KANCO, said: 鈥淲e need to start with the youngest children, starting right from birth and ensure they receive not only adequate nutrition and health care services but also essential care, pre-primary education, protection and mental stimulation.鈥澛�