Human development should begin with a child's brain - Experts

According to Aga Khan University Institute for Human Development (IHD) International Conference, researchers and policymakers the developing brain of a child is often ignored. 

Poor nutrition, limited early learning opportunities, inadequate healthcare, and weak caregiving environments continue to undermine children's development during the years when the brain grows most rapidly.

According to researchers, these early disadvantages do not simply affect childhood. They can shape learning outcomes, productivity, health, and economic opportunities throughout a person's life.

Prof. Anjum Halai said decades of research have consistently shown that early childhood education and development are among the strongest predictors of future well-being. 

Investments made during the earliest years influence children's social, emotional, intellectual, and academic development, while laying the foundation for school readiness and lifelong learning.

“If we have a young population, then we need to invest in the human development of that young population,” she said.

For many experts, the discussion is no longer simply about helping children survive. It is about ensuring they reach their full potential.

“This is not just a health issue. It is a development issue,” one researcher observed. “If we do not invest in early brain development, we are essentially locking in inequality before children even enter school.”

The Womb as the First Environment of Learning

Emerging science is now pushing the conversation even further back, suggesting that the foundations of learning are established long before a child enters a classroom.

“Long before a child enters a classroom, the foundations of learning are already being written in the womb.”

Salim Virani, a Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) and Population Health, said fetal development is increasingly understood as a critical stage that shapes both future health and learning outcomes.

“A mother's health during pregnancy, including blood sugar levels, fats in the blood, stress, inflammation, and nutrition, can shape how a baby's brain develops,” he said.

Researchers say these early biological influences affect how the brain forms and connects, influencing attention, emotional regulation, and learning capacity later in life. 

In other words, educational inequality may begin before birth, shaped not only by family circumstances but also by maternal health and broader social conditions.

The findings, emerging from initiatives such as the African Brain Data Network and other neuroscience collaborations, are reshaping understanding of child development across Africa. Pregnancy, experts argue, should be viewed not only as a health issue but also as a critical stage in human development with consequences that can last a lifetime.

The First 1,000 Days

The science extends beyond the brain.

Prof. Virani highlighted growing evidence suggesting that exposure to excess glucose, abnormal lipid levels, and maternal inflammation during pregnancy and early infancy can influence how the body's metabolic systems develop.

“New evidence suggests that the roots of heart disease may begin not in adulthood, but in pregnancy itself,” he said.

Researchers now view the first 1,000 days from conception to a child's second birthday as a critical window not only for cognitive development but also for lifelong cardiovascular health. These early biological influences may increase the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease decades later.

The implications are profound. Rather than waiting to treat disease in adulthood, experts are increasingly advocating for prevention before birth.

The Missing Link

While biology matters, researchers emphasized that children also require supportive environments to thrive.

The conference placed nurturing care at the centre of discussions on child development. The concept encompasses adequate nutrition, quality healthcare, safety, early learning opportunities, and responsive caregiving.

Shaukat Abdulrazak, Principal Secretary for Science, Research and Innovation, noted that scientific evidence suggests approximately 80 percent of brain development occurs during the earliest years of life.

“Science and evidence demonstrate that about 80 percent of brain development happens during the earliest years of life,” he said.

Nafisa Shekhova, Global Lead for Education and Early Childhood Development, argued that children thrive when health, nutrition, education, social protection, and family support systems work together.

She said experiences during pregnancy and the early years have lifelong consequences for learning, health, productivity, and well-being, underscoring the importance of investing not only in children but also in the systems that support them.