MoGCSP CELEBRATES 2025 NATIONAL CHILDREN’S DAY

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), in collaboration with the Centre for Learning and Childhood Development (CLCD) Ghana, celebrated the 2025 National Children’s Day on Friday, 12th September 2025.

The event also marked the official launch of the EPIC Project: Engaging Policy Makers in Intersectoral Collaboration for Children – a partnership initiative with CLCD Ghana, the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and University College London (UCL).

Held under the theme “Building Strategic Intersectoral Coalitions to Advance Early Childhood Development,” the celebration sought to raise national awareness of the importance of early childhood development, strengthen partnerships, and align Ghana’s child development agenda with global best practices.

In her keynote address, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, underscored the urgent need for collaboration across health, education, social protection, local governance, and community systems to secure the future of children, particularly those aged 0–8 years.

She noted that while Ghana has made progress in child rights, protection, and welfare, more effort is required to ensure no child is left behind during these formative years. She described early childhood as too critical to be ignored, cautioning that neglecting children today would compromise the nation’s future.

The Minister emphasized that early childhood development must not rest on government alone but requires commitment from all sectors, communities, and families. She called for it to be treated as a true national priority, reflected in policies, budgets, and collective action. Investing in children, she added, is the most valuable investment any country can make, as every cedi spent on their health, education, and protection yields immeasurable returns for families and the nation.

She expressed appreciation to stakeholders for their support and thanked H.E. President John Dramani Mahama for his unwavering commitment and Cabinet’s approval of the ECCD Policy 2025–2035, describing it as a milestone that will transform early childhood services in Ghana.

Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey subsequently launched the EPIC Project, reaffirming government’s commitment to advancing early childhood development through stronger intersectoral collaboration.

The initiative seeks to build an inclusive and coordinated system that effectively responds to the needs of children while positioning Ghana’s child development agenda in line with global standards.

The event brought together policymakers, development partners, civil society organizations, faith-based bodies, academia, and child-focused institutions, all of whom pledged their support to place children at the center of national development planning.

Source: MoGCSP