Programme

Budgeting for Children

UNICEF works with partners in Ghana to ensure that the needs of children are prioritized and catered for

Children outside a home in the village of Nkwanta — UNICEF/UN285874/QUARMYNE

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Challenge

The Government of Ghana has been working over the past few years to improve the lives of children by ensuring that resources are allocated and services are delivered in an equitable and sustainable manner.

Availability of reliable data, however, especially at the district level is a challenge that hinders evidence-based decision making and resource allocation.

Solution

UNICEF is supporting the Ministry of Finance and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies to develop and disseminate policy briefs as evidence for preparation of the national budget and collaborating with Civil Society Organizations to conduct a quick analysis of the budget statement that is discussed at parliament.

UNICEF/UN827353/DEJONGH Two brothers play with a ball in Amasaman, Accra on 27 August 2018.

UNICEF also engages regularly with the Ministries, Departments and Agencies on key issues, gaps and priority programmes. There are also collaborations with Civil Society Organizations to carry out advocacy with the Ministry of Finance, Departments and Agencies and the media on pro-poor policies as well as advocating for a fairer country with key development partners.

UNICEF has also supported the Ministry of Finance with a budget analyst to provide advice and capacity building around social budgeting.

UNICEF/UN739176/OPOKU A young girl claps to a song in Nyenvaare in Upper West on 15 April 2019.

UNICEF's support in budget and financing for children has contributed to dedicated funding to the district level education management system to maintain and improve the quality of teaching and learning.

In addition, all operational costs, free teaching and learning materials, feeding and capitation grants of special education institutions are now being covered to implement the Inclusive Education Policy.

With UNICEF support, the Ghana Education Service is now implementing a staff rationalization programme to ensure that teachers are sent to where they are needed, in order to address inequitable teacher distribution, especially in the disadvantaged or rural areas through effective teacher deployment policy.

UNICEF has also supported the Ministry of Finance to design a Budget template to enhance budget monitoring and reporting.