No investment offers a better return than giving the children the best start in life. Research has shown that for every US $1 spent -I would say invested -- on early childhood programs, countries enjoy cost savings of US $7. That is a pretty spectacular return. But it should not be surprising. It should be obvious. Young children who receive good early care are less likely to die, get sick, fail in their school education or require remedial services. They will be able to support themselves and their families, push their societies forwards and help to break cycles of illness, deprivation and discrimination. Investing in early childhood plays a direct role in sustainable poverty reduction. By young, I mean from before birth until the child is established in school at about the age of eight, but the first three years -- including the pre-birth period -- are particularly vital. This is when mental and physical capacities are forming and gaining strength. UNICEF, the United Nations international Children's Emergency Fund, has long recognized the importance of these early years. More than half our program budget is devoted to early childhood. But last year, we went one step further. We made integrated early childhood development one of our five priorities (alongside girls' education, immunization (接种), HIV/AIDS and child protection). Progress in one area contributes to progress in others. Tackling deficiencies in iron and iodine (碘) will improve not just physical health, but long-term brain development. The children of a healthy, educated, secure mother will thrive, rather than simply survive. Enhancing the role of fathers pays equal dividends (红利). We need to focus most intensely on the under-threes, looking for ways to strengthen families' ability to care for their children, increasing their access to good quality, basic services, promoting gender equality and reinforcing national policies. It also requires us to look at the health of women, because a young child's future is shaped by its mother's well-being before and during pregnancy. Which is NOT the reason for the early childhood investment?