High-quality early childhood care and education (ECCE) is now recognised as a core strategy for poverty reduction. There is evidence of high returns from ECCE investments, which can contribute to global policy priorities such as tackling child malnutrition, increasing children's successful participation in school, and strengthening economic development. In short, by supporting children and families early in life well-delivered ECCE can help to interrupt the cycle of poverty.

As a promise made to poor people worldwide the Millennium Development Goals remain a powerful signal of international consensus that more must be done to improve human development. Commitment to the MDGs was reiterated at the 2010 summit of G20 countries (G20 2010) in Toronto. As the UN Secretary General described: "They are the world’s quantified, time-bound targets for addressing extreme poverty, hunger and disease, and for promoting gender equality, education and environmental sustainability.