Dr. Dina Castro to Address UN Commission on Early Childhood and Social Protection
On February 5, 2026, Dr. Dina Castro, the Bahamdan Professor in Early Childhood Well-Being and Director of the Institute for Early Childhood Well-Being at Boston University, will speak at an official side event of the 64th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development (CSocD64).
The event, titled “Giving Every Child a Chance: Building Just, Resilient, and Peaceful Societies through Social Protection and Early Childhood Care and Education,” comes at a critical time. Current data reveals that over 48 million children are forcibly displaced and 250 million are out of school worldwide.
Dr. Castro will join a distinguished panel including representatives from the Permanent Mission of Luxembourg to the UN, NYU, Yale, and Columbia University. The discussion will focus on:
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How Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and social protection form the bedrock of equity and justice.
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Addressing the “toxic stress” that hinders development in the first 1,000 days of life.
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The proven role of Universal Child Benefits (UCBs) in reducing child mortality and strengthening household resilience.
The event follows the Second World Summit for Social Development and precedes the 2027 International Financing Summit for Early Childhood, highlighting a global shift toward viewing early childhood interventions as essential investments in human rights.
Registration is open to the public for this virtual event. For more information and to register, visit