In honour of the 35th anniversary of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP) hosted a one-day stakeholders’ forum through its Department of Children with assistance from World Vision Ghana.
With the topic “Planning and Budgeting for Children’s Rights: Progress Since 2010,” the forum sought to secure resource allocation that supports the rights and participation of all Ghanaian children, build partnerships, and mobilise political will.
Mr. Sefah Alexander Boadu, the Ag. Director of the Department of Children, gave the keynote address on behalf of Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection. He emphasised the government’s investments in child welfare, including the Free Maternal Health Care Policy, the extension of the National Health Insurance Scheme, and the provision of free basic and secondary education.
He pointed out that the Ministry’s budget grew from GHS 1,487 million in 2023 to GHS 2,393 million in 2024, and that birth registration reached 93% in 2022, demonstrating the government’s strong commitment to children’s rights.
Given that 40% of Ghana’s population is under the age of 18, Mr. Boadu noted that intentional and ongoing action is needed to address disparities in school spending, payment delays, and funding shortages for child safety.
He also warned that some advances have been undone by outside shocks like COVID-19, inflation, and climate change, placing many children at risk for gender-based violence, child labour, and child marriage.
He urged more accountability in the distribution of resources, improved teamwork, and the inclusion of children’s opinions in decision-making.
While applauding the government’s emphasis on child rights, Mr. Gregory Dery, Child Protection, Safeguarding, and Advocacy Manager of World Vision Ghana, emphasised enduring issues such poverty, malnutrition, harmful practices, digital hazards, and climate change.
Through the ENOUGH Campaign, which provides education, health, nutrition, and protection services to 3.5 million underprivileged children, he reaffirmed World Vision’s commitment and urged more robust partnerships and inclusive budgeting.
The Ministry of Finance, UNICEF, UNDP, and other partners gave technical presentations that examined Ghana’s progress in budgeting and planning for children’s rights since 2010 and identified important drivers of improvement in the face of scarce resources.
At the end of the forum, a panel discussion on the event’s theme engaged experts from several sectors on how to improve resource allocation and encourage inclusive participation in order to protect children’s rights.
A renewed national commitment to upholding the African Charter’s legacy—making sure that every Ghanaian child is raised in a safe, healthy, educated, and empowered environment to realise their full potential—marked the event’s conclusion.
Source: newsthemegh.com