Our Advocacy & Social Justice work

The Launch of a Special Unit

The Centre for Early Childhood Development’s work has, for many years, involved advocacy work. Where critical, urgent ECD issues have emerged, CECD was often a key voice in responding publicly and within the ECD NPO circle. Since early 2020, CECD has been working more specifically on proactive and strategic advocacy initiatives and identified a need within the ECD and NPO sectors for a specialised advocacy unit. In June 2021, Centre for Early Childhood Development launched the ‘Advocacy and Social Justice Unit’, led by attorney-at-law, Yusrah Ehrenreich.

The Focus of our Advocacy & Social Justice Work

The CECD Advocacy and Social Justice Unit will work to inspire action on early childhood development in South Africa, and globally. We will do this through amplifying voices in an intrinsically non-exploitative way, and mobilising and unifying the ECD sector around key demands and campaigns.

This will be done through prioritising and amplifying advocacy strategies:

  • Rights education
  • Communication: popular education, messaging, social media, traditional media
  • Direct action
  • Policy work: advocacy around content and implementation
  • Legal advocacy and litigation
  • Lobbying work
  • Consultation within civil society spaces and amongst ECD practitioners
  • Working with and strengthening existing coalition

Some of the Unit’s Media Releases, Open Letters and Op Eds

Opinion Editorial
CECD wrote an OP ED on the current crisis in the #ECD sector, with the Department of Social Development missing payments of the ECD Stimulus Relief Fund to over 80,000 ECD practitioners by their March deadline. We unpack the situation & call on Minister Lindiwe Zulu to act! Read it here.
Video Release
CECD released a video exposing how DSD missed the 31 March deadline for ECD Stimulus Relief Fund payments to over 100 000 ECD staff members. So we asked ECD principals to speak for themselves. But is anyone listening? Watch it here.
Press Release
CECD published a press release on the current challenges in the ECD sector & publicising the open letter we sent to DSD and Minister Lindewe Zulu in response to the ECD Employment Stimulus Relief Fund, urging for immediate payment. Read it here.
Open Letter
CECD pens second letter to Lindiwe Zulu, Minister of DSD, in response to Presidency’s ECD Relief Fund, urging for immediate payment of funds. Read it here.
Survey Report
CECD released a survey report, detailing the findings from a Rapid Survey of 1085 ECD practitioners. The survey asked for feedback on the ECD Stimulus Relief Fund’s application process. We incorporated the feedback received into the Open Letter we sent to the Minister of Social Development, detailing the significant challenges surrounding the ECD Stimulus Relief Fund. Read it here.
Virtual Protest

CECD joined the ECDReform campaign to protest and call for real reform in the ECD sector. This action called on DSD and DBE, asking for 5 real reforms for ECD, in reaction to the problematic Children’s Amendment Bill. For more information, click here: www.ecdreform.org.za

Extension Won!
CECD was pivotal in fighting for an extension to the ECD Stimulus Relief Fund application deadline, through media releases, petitions, and appearances. On 18 Feb, the original deadline, DSD announced that they were giving the ECD sector an additional week! A big victory for us. DSD’s media statement can be read here.
Media Release
CECD worked hard with the @CovidCoalition to develop a media release calling for an extension for the ECD Stimulus Relief Fund application deadline, which was sent as far and wide as possible! The situation was dire, and needed immediate attention from DSD and the Presidency. Read it here.

Our Latest Campaign – #PayTheECDReliefFunds

Given the appalling (virtually non-existent) roll out of the ECD Employment Stimulus Relief Fund package, we asked all ECD stakeholders to join us in putting pressure on provincial DSD, across South Africa by taking part in our national protest. The action took place across the country, in May 2021.

This campaign received significant media attention and coverage. Click on the image below to view more on this campaign.

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