Report on New Mexico’s Universal Child Care Initiative and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The state of New Mexico has initiated a universal child care program, becoming the first in the United States to offer free child care to all residents, irrespective of income. This policy directly addresses multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting economic stability, gender equality, quality education, and reduced inequalities. The initiative removes all income-based eligibility requirements and family copayments, representing a significant public investment in early childhood development and family support systems.

Program Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The universal child care initiative makes substantial contributions to the following SDGs:

• SDG 1: No Poverty & SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: By eliminating a significant household expense, estimated at $12,000 per child annually, the program directly alleviates financial burdens on families, contributing to poverty reduction. Its universal nature ensures that children from all socioeconomic backgrounds have equal access, thereby reducing systemic inequalities.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The policy strongly supports Target 4.2, which aims to ensure all children have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education. The state’s investment in the Early Childhood Education and Care Department underscores its commitment to building a strong educational foundation for its youngest residents.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: Accessible and free child care is a critical enabler of women’s economic empowerment. The policy facilitates greater female participation in the workforce by removing a primary barrier to employment, thereby advancing gender equality.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The initiative stimulates economic growth by enabling more parents to join the workforce. Furthermore, it promotes decent work within the care sector by incentivizing a minimum wage of $18 per hour for child care staff and investing in professional development.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The program includes a $13 million loan fund for the construction and expansion of child care facilities, investing in essential community infrastructure to support resilient and sustainable communities.

Funding and Implementation

The program’s financial framework is supported by a multi-pronged strategy:

1. An increase of $113 million to the Early Childhood Education and Care Department, raising its total operating budget to nearly $1 billion.
2. Allocation from a state fund, established in 2020 and financed by oil and gas tax revenues, which has grown to $10 billion. A constitutional amendment ensures a portion of this fund is dedicated to universal child care.
3. A forthcoming request for an additional $120 million in state funding to sustain the initiative.

Strategic Objectives and Projected Outcomes

The state has outlined several key objectives to ensure the program’s success and expansion:

• Establish 55 new child care centers.
• Create 1,120 new home-based child care options.
• Launch a recruitment campaign for home-based providers.
• Incentivize programs to pay staff a minimum wage of $18 per hour.
• Provide a $13 million loan fund to support the construction and expansion of facilities.

Stakeholder Perspectives

The initiative has received varied responses. Thora Walsh Padilla, President of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, lauded the program for addressing critical needs within the tribal community, including provider wages and facility development, which aligns with SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Conversely, concerns have been raised by some state officials who argue that resources should be more narrowly targeted toward children at the highest risk of abuse and neglect. This highlights an ongoing policy debate regarding universal versus targeted social support systems.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 1: No Poverty
2. SDG 4: Quality Education
3. SDG 5: Gender Equality
4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
5. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 1: No Poverty

   • Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions. The article highlights that the initiative will provide “financial relief” and is “expected to save families $12,000 per child annually,” directly addressing a major household cost that contributes to financial strain and poverty.

2. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education. The article’s central theme is New Mexico’s move to provide universal, free child care and early childhood education, explicitly aiming to ensure “every child has the opportunity to grow and thrive.”

3. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies. By making child care a free public service, the state is implementing a social protection policy that formally supports and reduces the burden of care work, which disproportionately falls on women.
   • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. The article notes that the policy supports “workforce participation,” which is critical for women’s economic empowerment. It also mentions that “Latinas in New Mexico led the charge” to pass a key constitutional amendment, demonstrating women’s leadership in public life.

4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value. The initiative supports this target by enabling parents (especially women) to join or remain in the workforce. Furthermore, it aims to improve working conditions for child care staff by “incentivize programs to pay staff a minimum of $18 an hour,” promoting decent work within the care sector.

5. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. The policy is universal, providing child care to all residents “regardless of income,” which directly aims to reduce economic inequality. The article also highlights the positive impact on the Mescalero Apache Tribe, addressing specific challenges faced by indigenous communities and promoting their inclusion.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 1 (No Poverty)

   • Financial Savings for Families: The article explicitly states an expected savings of “$12,000 per child annually.” This monetary value serves as a direct indicator of poverty reduction and increased disposable income for families.

2. For SDG 4 (Quality Education)

   • Participation Rate: An implied indicator is the number of children and families who enroll in the universal child care program once income eligibility is removed. An increase in participation would measure progress towards access to early childhood development.

3. For SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

   • Wage Levels for Care Workers: The incentive to pay child care staff a “minimum of $18 an hour” is a specific, measurable indicator of progress toward decent work in the care economy.
   • Creation of New Facilities and Jobs: The state’s hope to create “55 new child care centers and 1,120 home-based child care options” is a quantifiable indicator of infrastructure growth and job creation in the sector.
   • Workforce Participation Rate: The governor’s statement that the policy supports “workforce participation” implies that changes in this rate, particularly for women, will be a key metric of the program’s success.

4. For SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

   • Universal Access: The removal of “income eligibility requirements” is a policy-level indicator that demonstrates a commitment to reducing inequality.
   • Access for Indigenous Communities: The number of child care facilities on the Mescalero Apache Tribe’s reservation (currently three) and the creation of new ones can be tracked as an indicator of improved service provision and reduced inequality for this specific community.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: 19thnews.org