CEPPs – The Mother and Child Manifesto

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“The ideas and the love a mother has for her baby, the richness of their communication, all have a determining influence on the baby’s physical development, the landmarks of its personality and character predisposition.”

Thomas Verny, Psychiatrist, in “The Secret Life of the Unborn Baby”

It is our children who will create the societies of the future

The CEPPs vision is a world in which every child develops to their full potential and no child is left behind; a world where mothers-to-be, families and caregivers receive the support and parenting education they need to make this a reality.

The focus of CEPPs is the ‘Critical Years’ – from conception to age 3

During this “window of opportunity” the brain develops faster than any other time in life. These critical years are the foundations that shape a child’s future physical and mental health, with life-long impact not only for themselves, but also for communities and societies.

Childhood and Early Parenting Principles (CEPPs)

What is CEPPs about?

  • CEPPs aims to do for mothers and young children what the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) of the UN Global Compact are doing for women in the workplace.
  • The CEPPs Mother and Child Manifesto proposes 7 principles, providing a policy framework for a unified multi-sector and multi-stakeholder partnership between government, private sector and civil society organizations at city, regional and national levels. Adoption of these principles would help ensure that children grow in a safe and nurturing environment and develop to their full potential.
  • In turn, CEPPs has the transformative potential to break inter-generational cycles of adversity and disadvantage in the world, thereby helping to accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development, (in particular Sustainable Development Goals 3-5 which address health, education and the condition of women and girls).

Why should you join?

  • In the Every Newborn Action Plan coordinated by the WHO and UNICEF, it is reported that for the first time, the world has the knowledge and resources to end preventable deaths of mothers and newborns within a generation. But governments now rely on bottom-up support from professionals and organizations in health, social and early childhood care.
  • CEPPs proposes a collaborative platform in each country, for professionals and organizations in health, social and early childhood care to engage and form partnerships with governments, to accelerate the implementation.
  • We invite you to join with other like-minded professionals, dedicated to improving the lives of mothers and young children in the world. Your expertise and experience will help us spread the word, and by expanding the CEPPs Network, promote the sharing of knowledge and best practice in health, social and early childhood care.
  • The 7 CEPPs Principles are based on existing examples of multi-sector and multi-stakeholder networks used to deliver a continuum-of-care to mother and child during pregnancy, childbirth and early childhood.
  • CEPPs also provides the channel for professionals and organizations to speak with one voice and present a compelling message to policy makers at the highest level, through participation at UN sessions in New York and Geneva.
Support the Mother and Child Manifesto - become a CEPPs Partner or Supporter.