UNICEF GHANA CALLS ON GENDER MINISTER

The UNICEF Representative to Ghana, Mr. Osama Makkawi Khogali, led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, on Monday, 28th April 2025.

The visit was to formally congratulate the Minister on her appointment and explore areas of mutual collaboration between UNICEF Ghana and the Ministry, particularly in strengthening child protection systems and social welfare interventions across the country.

Mr. Khogali commended the Ministry for its leadership in implementing the Integrated Social Services (ISS) initiative, which seeks to enhance the coordination and delivery of essential services including social protection, health, education, and child protection to vulnerable children and families. He also acknowledged Ghana’s ratification of key protocols and instruments aimed at safeguarding children’s rights.

Discussions during the meeting covered a wide range of issues, including child bullying in schools and communities, the expansion of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme to reach more vulnerable pregnant women, and strategies to ensure that children not currently captured in the national birth registry are included in social protection targeting.

Mr. Khogali reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Ministry to align with the Government’s overarching goal of reducing poverty and vulnerability, as championed by President John Dramani Mahama.

In her remarks, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey expressed gratitude to UNICEF for its longstanding partnership and continued support to the Ministry, particularly in advancing child welfare and protection services.

She emphasized that the Government of Ghana, under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, remains committed to building a resilient and inclusive social protection system that leaves no one behind.

The Minister disclosed that Cabinet has approved both the Social Protection Bill and the Domestic Violence Bill, which are now due for submission to Parliament.

“These two Bills are critical,” the Minister stated, “because they lay the foundation for a coordinated and rights-based approach to protecting the most vulnerable in our society especially women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. The Social Protection Bill will institutionalize key programmes and ensure sustainability, while the revised Domestic Violence Bill will strengthen our legal framework to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.”

The Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working closely with development partners like UNICEF to ensure that national policies are translated into meaningful actions that improve the lives of the most vulnerable populations.

Also present at the meeting were the Chief Director of the Ministry, Dr. Afisah Zakariah, and the Director of Social Protection, Madam Francisca Atuluk.

Source: MoGCSP