Inclusive Growth and Development
In Ghana, UNICEF works with partners to ensure that children and families access social services.
Challenge
Inequality has been on the rise in Ghana since the 1990's. Even though the country has recently seen high rates of economic growth, it has disproportionately benefited the wealthy. This means that Ghana’s growth is not inclusive and is leaving several children and their families behind.
In a country where poverty reduction has slowed, the need for inclusive development, equitable resource allocation and social accountability has never been greater. Without specific efforts to support people living in poverty who are excluded from Ghana’s growth, inequalities are likely to increase further.
Solution
Reducing poverty and inequality require programmes that reach the most vulnerable children, families and communities - those excluded by poverty, geography, disability, gender and other factors
UNICEF is working with the government and partners to ensure that the poorest households are included in Ghana’s development. All children in Ghana have the right to reach their full potential and this can be done by promoting more equitable use of national resources and budgets to benefit poor and vulnerable children and families.
UNICEF also works to identify and implement specific policies that create a more inclusive economy and society and create greater accountability and transparency of government to those at risk of being left behind, including support to civil society to advocate and hold duty bearers accountable.
Some specific intiatives include Ghana’s District League Table, which provides evidence on human development outcomes for all 216 districts. Published annually, it highlights which districts are doing well and those lagging behind, promoting public debate and action at district and national levels.
The Inclusive Development Forum 2016 organised in partnership with the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme and Action Aid brought together over 300 participants from 150 institutions from across government agencies, civil society, trade institutions, private sector, development partners, academia and media, who agreed on key policy actions to promote inclusive development to be integrated into national policy-making.
UNICEF has helped initiate and expand the LEAP cash transfer programme, which now reaches 213,000 poor households. It has also helped the government to develop and begin implementation of the national social protection policy, which emphasizes the need to build a social protection floor for all people across a life-cycle, and commits to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030.