The implementation of SDG 4.2 in Switzerland from an NGO perspective

Switzerland is one of the most decentralized countries in the world. In most cantons childcare and early childhood education is locally organized. Moreover childcare is not a federal responsibility and thereby Nongovernmental... [ view full abstract ]

Switzerland is one of the most decentralized countries in the world. In most cantons childcare and early childhood education is locally organized. Moreover childcare is not a federal responsibility and thereby Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) are playing a crucial role in the promotion of good quality childcare. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.2 defined by the United Nations contains that “by 2030 all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.” However, little is known about how NGOs evaluate the intended implementation of this goal in federal Switzerland. In this article we present a first insight into Swiss NGOs attitude towards the SDG 4.2. We investigate qualitatively whether there are cultural differences in the evaluation of the SDG 4.2 between the German, French and Italian speaking part of Switzerland or not and if other responsibility patterns are observable across the country.