Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority launches ‘Their Early Years Matter’ campaign to promote early development awareness ahead of Early Childhood Week 2025.
ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) has launched a new initiative titled ‘Their Early Years Matter’ — an awareness campaign that focuses on the critical importance of a child’s development from conception to the age of eight. The campaign is a central part of preparations for Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week 2025, running from November 17th to 23rd under the theme “Together We Can Make Abu Dhabi a Family-Friendly Emirate.”
The campaign highlights how early childhood is the foundation for lifelong health, learning and wellbeing, calling on parents, caregivers and the wider community to value everyday moments with children. According to ECA, this period is a unique window of opportunity when a child’s brain creates over one million neural connections per second, with 90 percent of brain development completed by age five.
Dr. Hessa Al Kaabi, Executive Director of Special Projects & Partnerships at ECA, said: “The early years are where every child’s journey begins and where the foundation of our collective future is built. Through this educational campaign, we aim to inspire parents, caregivers, and the wider community to recognise that by investing in the early years of a child, we are strengthening families, empowering communities, and securing a brighter future for Abu Dhabi.”
Scientific research shows that investing in early childhood development can yield returns of up to 13 percent per year, with long-term savings of up to AED22.40 for every dirham spent. ECA also stresses that nurturing environments — filled with love, nutrition, care, and safety — build emotional strength, reduce chronic health risks, and encourage essential life skills such as focus, cooperation, and resilience.
The campaign encourages community engagement and offers access to free events and learning activities across the emirate. Families can explore the full programme at www.adecweek.ae, designed to celebrate children’s potential and support Abu Dhabi’s vision to be a family-friendly society.
