The Global Dialogue Forum on Conditions of Personnel in Early Childhood Education was held at the International Labour Office, Geneva, 22–23 February 2012. The Governing Body of the ILO had approved the convening of the Forum at its 311th Session (June 2011), confirming a decision taken in March 2011 for the ILO to convene a Global Dialogue Forum on this topic in the first half of 2012, instead of 2013 as originally proposed. The proposal was based on informal consultations at the ILO through the Advisory Body for the Education and Research grouping in October 2008 and November 2009. Based on these consultations and decisions of the Governing Body, the Office had prepared an international study on early childhood education (ECE) in 2011, with a focus on the training, of educators, employment and working environment in early childhood education, which served as a major background source for the Forum’s deliberations.

The purpose of the Forum was to address issues identified in the international study prepared by the ILO.

The Forum was attended by 62 participants, including 23 Government representatives2 and 16 advisers, as well as 16 Worker and 6 Employer representatives and one representative of an international NGO.

The Forum adopted Points of consensus which included amendments agreed during the closing session.