Gender ministry reviewing key policies to prioritise issues affecting the vulnerable

The caretaker Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has hinted that the ministry is currently reviewing policies such as its social protection strategic plan, the early childhood care and development policy, the national gender policy, and the domestic violence policy among others to ensure that all emerging issues affecting the vulnerable in society are mainstreamed for effective social services delivery.

In a speech read on her behalf, the Chief Director of the Ministry, Dr Afisah Zachariah, at the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection’s annual summit on the theme: 'Strengthening Resource Mobilization for Effective Social Service Delivery' stated that, the current economic situation has compelled the government to take stringent measures limiting resources available to other sectors which demands that they identify alternative sources of revenue to enable the ministry to deliver on their mandate effectively and efficiently in the coming years.

She added that the ministry hopes the summit which has brought together staff of the ministry and stakeholders will afford them the opportunity to share experiences and insights on how they can improve their financing for development and resource mobilisation.

Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah further highlighted some successes chalked by the ministry in the year under review aimed at promoting and protecting the welfare of children, women, the aged, persons living with disability (PWDs), and other vulnerable groups.

Madam Francisca Oteng, the chairperson for the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Gender and Children, in an interview with the press said that, despite the economic challenges that Ghana and other countries face, the committee was grateful that interventions such as the LEAP Programme, School Feeding Programme, Free SHS, among others are still being implemented by the government to help the poor of which women and children form the majority.

She expressed optimism that the summit will help her committee to have a broader understanding of the challenges that are being faced by the social protection and child protection programmes in Ghana.