The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, has today authorised the allocation of a EUR 12 million contribution to the World Bank in support of the “Invest in Childcare” initiative, which focuses on improving access to early childhood care services. This funding follows the commitment made by Italy during its 2024 G7 Presidency, as reaffirmed in the communiqués of both the Leaders’ Summit in Borgo Egnazia and the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Capri, to promote women’s access to the workforce.
Through this initiative, the Italian Government reiterates its belief that investing in children’s development also means giving women the freedom to work, offering families the reassurance of a stable future, and enabling communities to grow in an inclusive and sustainable way. Italy thereby renews its support for partner countries, with a particular focus on Africa, in the spirit of the Mattei Plan, to help ensure access to early childhood services.
Specifically, the Italian contribution will strengthen the Early Learning Partnership (ELP) Fund, through which the World Bank has coordinated early childhood development projects and partnerships since 2012. With these resources, the initiative will expand nurseries and child reception centres, and implement training programmes for childcare workers, especially in priority countries for Italian Cooperation in Africa and the Middle East.
