EDITORIAL

This is the first issue of the Journal to bepublished in the United Kingdom under itsnew editors. For the past five years DrOtto Weininger and his team haveproduced the OMEP International Journalof Early Childhood in Canada. We shouldlike to take this opportunity to thank allconcerned for their hard work. Anyonewho has been associated with a regularpublication, will appreciate the amount ofeffort required to produce an importantJournal. We hope they enjoy their wellearned rest.

Not only is this the first issue from theUnited Kingdom, for five years, but it isalso a special one, with the theme'Children's Rights' to link it with the XXthWorld Assembly and Congress in Arizonain August this year.

Our World President Mrs Eva Balke, hasset the scene for us, with her article onChildren's Rights and the World Summitfor Children, encouraging OMEP membersto become advocates for children. MmeMadeleine Goutard, our Representative toUNESCO, Paris, has not only indicated therole of the NGOs in promoting the Articlesof the Convention on the Rights of theChild, but also has demonstrated howOMEP France, has been involved with thegovernment, in tackling the issue.

The third article in this first section of theJournal, is written by Vital Didonet,Deputy World President, who knows morethan most people about his chosensubject 'Chi Idren and Poverty'. His articlereminds us that laws are not enough,action is required by everyone of us, ifwe are to eliminate poverty and itsaccompanying diseases and misery. FinallyKerstin Backstrom, of Sweden traces thehistory of the Convention in relation to theeducation of young children.

As this is a special issue, there are fewerpure research articles than usual, but eachhas some link with our theme. Wherepossible, subsequent issues will includefour or five research papers from all partsof the world. At several World Councilmeetings, it has been suggested that theJournal should contain more articles on

Front Cover - Photo by UNICEF.

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'grass roots' projects. Therefore we havemade a new section to include articles ofthis nature.

There are six projects mentioned in thisissue, representing efforts by OMEPCommittees and individual members fromall over the world. From Colombia, readabout an innovative programme in akindergarten. Bokko Tsuchiyama has sentan account of an exciting Japaneseproject, which, in cooperation with OMEPPhilippines, has resulted in the opening of32 kindergartens for poor children. On amore modest scale, readers can learnabout the work Australian members arecarrying out with women prisoners andtheir children. From UK, there are tworeports, one of a visit to Romania, andone from Margaret Roberts, a former WorldPresident, who has demonstrated how ourprofessional skills can still be usedeffectively during retirement. On adifferent theme the Polish NationalCommittee has shared with us their effortsto set up a Centre in Warsaw to provideexhibits on all aspects of childhood. In thissection, we hope to show how OMEP worksinternationally. It is a new venture andtherefore the Editors would welcomecomments from our readers.

In the final section of the Journal, with theinvaluable help of Margaret Weiser, VicePresident OMEP North America, you willfind details of forthcoming Conferences,OMEP in UNESCO and UNICEF, and shortreports of conferences and seminars,related to early childhood education andcare.

This is a special issue on a number ofcounts. The Editors are anxious to informthe readership about research, practicalprojects and events of future and pastimportance.We can only do this if wereceive interesting copy. PLEASE write tous with comments on this issue withsuggestions for the future. Only in thisway can we produce a Journal of highquality, which reflects the importance ofearly childhood education and care.

Audrey Curtis, London, April 1992.