By Emmanuel Bamfo 
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has made a strong appeal to the government of Ghana to secure a stable GH¢30 million annual allocation for child protection. The dedicated funding aims to sustain the Integrated Social Services (ISS) initiative, which connects social welfare officers, health centers, and police units at the district level to protect vulnerable children.
Speaking during a national dialogue on financing child protection in Accra, UNICEF Social Policy Specialist Kwesi Asante stressed that development partner funding for child protection has fallen sharply from 14.5% in 2022 to 3.4% in 2026. With donor support winding down, state intervention is needed to protect children from abuse, exploitation, and neglect.
Although the government allocated GH¢165 million to child protection interventions across various sectors in the 2026 budget, this figure represents a tiny 0.04% of overall state spending. Stakeholders warn that relying on leftover administrative funds puts critical social interventions at constant risk.
Most child protection activities at the district level rely heavily on international development partners like NORAD, World Vision, and Plan International. However, as global economic pressures shrink donor contributions, Ghana must step up to fund its own welfare institutions.
The Integrated Social Services framework provides essential support by bringing together district social welfare officers, health personnel, and the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU). This unified system handles cases of child marriage, sexual abuse, and child labor directly within local communities.
Without a dedicated line item in annual national budgets, local assemblies struggle to fund social welfare officers for routine field visits. Securing the GH¢30 million target will ensure case workers have the tools, fuel, and equipment required to intervene in emergency child welfare cases.
Civic groups and child rights advocates emphasize that investing in children is a national necessity. Protecting young citizens from violence and poverty ensures they grow into healthy, productive adults who contribute positively to national development.
UNICEF remains committed to collaborating with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to establish permanent domestic funding solutions. Prioritizing children in state budgets guarantees that no vulnerable child gets left behind in our communities.
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Source: Ghana News Page