De Cero a Siempre: Reflections on the Colombian Early Childhood Policy from a Human Rights Perspective

Cristian Jovan Rojas Romero (), Marisol Moreno Angarita, Yeison Guerrero and Laura Sofia Prieto Cifuentes
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Cristian Jovan Rojas Romero: Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de la Comunicación Humana—Grupo de Investigación Politicas, Discapacidad y Justicia Social, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Sede Bogotá, Bogotá 11132, Colombia
Marisol Moreno Angarita: Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de la Comunicación Humana—Grupo de Investigación Politicas, Discapacidad y Justicia Social, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Sede Bogotá, Bogotá 11132, Colombia
Yeison Guerrero: Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de la Comunicación Humana—Grupo de Investigación Politicas, Discapacidad y Justicia Social, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Sede Bogotá, Bogotá 11132, Colombia
Laura Sofia Prieto Cifuentes: Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de la Comunicación Humana—Grupo de Investigación Politicas, Discapacidad y Justicia Social, Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Sede Bogotá, Bogotá 11132, Colombia

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: This article critically examines De Cero a Siempre (DCAS), a cross-sectoral policy established in Colombia in 2016 to provide coordinated and comprehensive early childhood development services. The policy aims to promote optimal conditions for children from pregnancy to six years of age by addressing their nutritional, health, educational, and social needs while fostering participation and citizenship. Designed with a differential approach, the DCAS integrates and adapts services considering gender, culture, income, ethnicity, displacement, and disability. This study evaluates the DCAS policy through the human rights approach. First, we examine the conceptual definitions Second, we identify specific programs and services Third, we assess the implementation and effectiveness of these services using the official System for Monitoring the Comprehensive Development of Early Childhood. The findings reveal a strong policy framework that values human dignity and equity but highlights critical gaps in coverage, particularly in rural areas, due to geographical and social challenges. The current landscape of disability services reveals significant systemic limitations in addressing individualized developmental needs. Our comprehensive analysis exposes critical challenges in designing comprehensive intervention strategies for CWDDs. The article concludes with recommendations to enhance policy implementation and improve service delivery, ensuring equitable access for all children.

Keywords: early childhood policy; comprehensive development; children with disabilities; inclusion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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