New National Policy to Ensure Every Child thrives and reach their full potential
Government of Ghana Launches Landmark National Early Childhood Care and Development Policy (2025–2029)
Accra, Ghana, 26 February 2026 – The Government of Ghana has officially launched the revised National Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Policy (2025–2029), marking a transformative shift in the country’s commitment to its youngest citizens.
The policy, which updates the 2004 framework, serves as a comprehensive roadmap to ensure that every child in Ghana, from conception to age eight, receives the integrated support necessary to survive, thrive, and reach their full potential.
Under the leadership of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the policy transition moves Ghana toward a more structured and accountable multisectoral system. It recognizes that 90 percent of brain development occurs before the age of five, framing early childhood investment not just as a social service, but as a critical driver of national productivity and human capital.
Throughout the development of this framework, UNICEF provided extensive technical support to the Government of Ghana. This collaboration focused on:
- Policy Alignment: Ensuring the policy meets international standards, specifically the Nurturing Care Framework, which integrates health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning, and security.
- System Strengthening: Assisting in the design of the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) framework.
- Costing and Implementation: Providing technical expertise to develop the Costed Implementation Plan (CIP) to ensure the policy is actionable and sustainable.
The 2025–2029 Policy is built upon six strategic pillars designed to provide holistic care:
Health: Expanding access to quality antenatal and postnatal care.
Nutrition: Strengthening food security and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) services.
Early Learning: Equipping families and centers for play-based, inclusive pedagogy.
Responsive Caregiving: Supporting parents with the tools for early stimulation.
Safety and Security: Strengthening birth registration and protection from violence.
Inclusion: Ensuring equitable access for children with disabilities and marginalized groups.
As the implementation phase begins, the Government calls on all stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector, to align their efforts with this national framework to secure a bright future for Ghana’s children.
Note to Editors
About the ECCD Policy (2025–2029): The policy is the primary document guiding early childhood interventions in Ghana. It is supported by two critical technical documents: a Costed Implementation Plan (CIP) for financing and a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) Framework to track progress.
The First 1,000 Days: The policy places a scientific emphasis on the first 1,000 days of life (from conception to age two), a window of opportunity where adequate nutrition and stimulation have the greatest impact on lifelong health and learning.
Role of Local Government: While the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection provides national coordination, the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) are mandated to lead the implementation at the community level, ensuring services reach the most vulnerable families.
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UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, works to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, especially the most disadvantaged children and in the toughest places to reach. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive, and fulfil their potential. For more information about UNICEF and its work, please visit and follow UNICEF Ghana on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
