Community improvements in health, sanitation and nutrition that benefit children are also likely to benefit parents, families and the community at large. These community and family benefits are evidenced by parents' improved self-confidence, the emergence of leaders, and by increased organisation and social action in communities. In sum, the benefits of investing in early childhood care and development can be extraordinarily high . Scientific research demonstrates repeatedly that the early years are critical in the development of intelligence, personality, and social behaviour. There are long-term effects associated with a variety of early intervention programmes.
Children have a right to live and to develop to their full potential.
Through children, humanity transmits its values. That transmission begins with infants. Values such as living together harmoniously or appreciating and protecting the environment begin to take hold in the pre-school years and can be promoted through child care and development programmes. Society benefits economically from investing in child care and development through increased productivity of children, by freeing caregivers to earn and learn, and by saving social costs in such areas as school repetition, juvenile delinquency and the use of drugs. The girl child can be a particularly important beneficiary.