The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) in collaboration with Civil Society Organization Platform on Social Protection and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as part of their Right and Social Protection Campaign which was launched in November 2023 has organised a day’s training on 24^th June 2024 for Beneficiary and Community Communication (BCC) on Social Protection for the Ga West Municipal Assembly.

The BCC on Social Protection seeks to deepen the understanding and participation of the district level actors in social protection delivery. Social Protection is a key element of a just and equitable society which aims to ensure that all citizens, especially the most vulnerable have access to essential services, resources and opportunities that project and protect their wellbeing.

Social Protection as a right-based is not merely a charity but a fundamental human right which is preserved in various international agreements including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. When communities and individuals know and understand their rights and responsibilities, they are able to participate in the design, implementation and monitoring of Social Protection Programmes.

The BCC based on recommendations from different reports relating on the LEAP Beneficiary on Community Communication pilot in 16 districts across Ghana in 2020 is expanding to cover the current social basket which includes Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Ghana School Feeding Program (GSFP), Education Capitation Grant (ECG), Labour Intensive Public Works (LIPW)and Productive Inclusion (PI).

The primary objective of this initiative is to create an enabling environment for sustainable community development by promoting gender equality, protecting children’s right and enhancing social protection program.

The specific goals of the social protection programs are 

1. Capacity building
2. Community Dialogue
3. Advocacy and Awareness
4. Collaborative Governance

The outcomes expected from the implementation of these social protection programs are;

1. To enhance the capacity of the Ga West Municipal Assembly’s actors to address gender-based issues and child protection concerns.
2. Empower the Municipal to actively engage in promoting gender equality and protecting the vulnerable populations in the community
3. Increase the Municipal’s awareness in the understanding of social protection mechanisms and available support.

4.Strengthened collaborative governance structures for sustainable community development

In conclusion, participants were educated that not every poor person is poor because they are lazy. Some people are very vulnerable and it is the right of the very vulnerable to be given social protection. They were also taught the criteria for selection of beneficiaries. This training will end with a community dialogue on 26^th and 27^th June, 2024.

Source: ISD, Ga West Municipal Assembly.