ABSTRACT
This chapter illustrates the humanitarian landscape, the current situation around the world, the humanitarian aid architecture, funding mechanisms and opportunities for increasing Early Childhood Development in emergencies financing. Over the last decade the number of emergencies requiring international aid support has increased. History of conflict has shown that refugee situations can last a long time, with an average length of 17 years. In order to respond to this and the need for a strong workforce, both development and humanitarian work have become increasingly professionalised with a humanitarian aid architecture over the last past few decades. A number of financing mechanisms are in place to provide quick support during emergencies. While humanitarian work is more recognised as a profession, an architecture is in place to respond to emergencies and numerous financing mechanisms exist, this has not resulted in prioritisation of ECD in emergency work. The potential for ECD in emergencies to gain visibility, greater prioritisation and financing is present. What is needed is a top top-down and bottom bottom-up approach to: (1) increase awareness of what is ECD and why it is important in emergencies, (2) coordinate efforts around ECD in emergencies and (3) strengthen the ability of implementing agencies to frame ECD so that it fits country, donor and sector priorities.
