The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) in Ghana plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the most vulnerable members of our society. Tasked with promoting gender equality, protecting children, supporting persons with disabilities and the elderly, and managing social protection programs, the Ministry is a cornerstone of Ghana’s social development framework.
As a child welfare advocate and educator, I recognize and applaud the efforts made thus far. However, the Ministry’s role is far too important to operate below its full potential. In today’s world, transparency, communication, and accountability must go hand in hand with service delivery—especially when the lives and futures of vulnerable children are at stake.
What the Ministry Does
The Ministry operates through various departments and units, each addressing critical aspects of national welfare, such as:
• Department of Social Welfare (DSW) – Child protection, adoption, foster care, and community care services.
• Department of Gender – Empowerment of women and gender mainstreaming.
• Domestic Violence Secretariat – Coordinating prevention and response efforts.
• Department of Children – Policy development and implementation for child rights.
• Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) – Social cash transfer program supporting poor and vulnerable households.
These structures are in place, and some programs have made tangible impact over the years. Yet greater reform is needed to modernize these departments and make their work accessible and measurable to the public.
In the 2025 fiscal year, Ghana’s Parliament approved a Mini-Budget totaling GHC68.13 billion. However, specific allocations for the MoGCSP within this budget have not been publicly detailed. Historically, the Ministry has faced significant financial constraints.
For instance, in 2024, an analysis revealed that 99.51% of the Ministry’s budget was consumed by just two social protection programs—the School Feeding Programme and the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP)—leaving a mere 0.49% for its operational activities.
This disproportionate allocation hinders the Ministry’s ability to effectively oversee and implement its various mandates. To address these challenges, it is imperative to advocate for a more balanced budget distribution that ensures adequate funding for both programmatic and operational needs.
Key Areas for Improvement in Today’s World
- Digital Presence and Information Access
The Ministry’s current website and social media channels are underutilized. In this digital era, an active, user-friendly, and informative online presence is non-negotiable.
• The website should offer downloadable resources, program guidelines, policies, adoption protocols, and department updates.
• Social media platforms should go beyond ceremonial posts, sharing real-time stories, tips for families, child protection advice, and community engagement content.
- Transparency and Accountability from All Departments
Every department under the Ministry must be mandated to publish periodic reports, data, and outcome-based updates. The public deserves to know:
• What programs are being implemented
• Who the beneficiaries are
• What progress is being made
• What challenges are being faced
Transparency builds trust, and trust fuels support and civic participation.
- Strengthening the Central Adoption Authority (CAA)
The Central Adoption Authority under the Ministry must be at the forefront of this transparency and accountability shift.
Currently, the adoption process in Ghana is often seen as opaque, with limited access to clear procedures, timelines, data, and updates. To restore public confidence and ensure ethical adoption practices:
• The CAA must publish annual or bi-annual reports detailing the number of adoptions, timelines, types (domestic or intercountry), challenges, and safeguards implemented.
• Clear, accessible adoption protocols should be made available on both the Ministry’s website and printed formats for regional offices.
• A dedicated helpdesk or inquiry line should be established to support prospective adoptive parents, social workers, and other stakeholders.
This is a vital area where clarity, consistency, and communication could dramatically improve public perception and system integrity.
- Empowering Departments to Be Visible and Responsive
Departments like the Department of Social Welfare, Child Protection Unit, and Domestic Violence Secretariat must be encouraged to work with greater independence and visibility.
Each department should:
• Engage with the public directly, not only through the Ministry’s central platform.
• Share field stories, impact snapshots, and challenges they face in implementing programs.
• Be responsive to citizens, organizations, and professionals seeking support or partnership.
- Data-Driven Action and Community Engagement
Evidence-based policymaking is crucial. The Ministry should invest in data collection systems to support case management, monitor child protection cases, and assess the impact of social protection programs.
Furthermore, they must go beyond Accra—to engage with communities, districts, traditional leaders, faith groups, and grassroots NGOs across the country.
Community dialogues, town hall meetings, and regional partnerships must become part of how the Ministry listens, learns, and leads.
Ghana needs a Ministry that’s not only functioning but flourishing—one that’s equipped for today’s realities and tomorrow’s challenges.
My hope is not to criticize but to call forth a stronger institution—one that sees the people, hears their concerns, and responds with integrity.
Let us champion a Ministry that’s not just present—but proactive, transparent, and truly people-centered.
Ghana needs a Ministry that’s not only functioning but flourishing—one that’s equipped for today’s realities and tomorrow’s challenges.
Children and vulnerable persons must not be protected in theory alone but in action, systems, and policies. Families must be empowered. And every citizen must know how to access the support they need.
