Fiji is one of seven Pacific Island Countries that allocates more than the international standard of 1% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) towards early childhood development (ECD). This information was shared by Jonathan Veitch, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative for the Pacific Island Countries, during a recent panel discussion focused on investing in the critical first 1,000 days of a child’s life.
UNICEF conducted an ECD expenditure tracking study across Fiji and six other Pacific Island nations, including Samoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, RMI, Tuvalu, and Kiribati. The findings indicate that all these countries exceed the internationally recommended ECD funding threshold. Notably, most of this funding is sourced domestically, with a relatively small contribution from donors.
Despite this funding, Veitch pointed out that higher spending does not appear to correlate with improved child outcomes, especially in areas like nutrition and educational achievements. He suggested that the high cost of living in the Pacific region might mean that the 1% GDP benchmark does not adequately address local needs and that additional financial resources could be required.
Veitch also emphasized that current funding may not be utilized as effectively as possible, particularly due to a lack of coordination among sectors. He proposed that a more unified cross-sectoral approach could enhance the efficiency of investments made in early childhood development.