Gender Ministry inaugurates committee to drive early childhood development

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in Ghana has formed a National Inter-Sectoral Early Childhood Care and Development Committee to enhance coordination and implement the country's Early Childhood Care and Development Policy, set to take effect in 2025. The committee, established on September 29, 2026, comprised representatives from various governmental bodies, international partners, private enterprises, and civil society organizations.

Led by the Chief Director of the Ministry, its primary objective is to create a unified national strategy for enhancing the physical health, emotional wellbeing, cognitive development, social behavior, and lifelong learning of children aged zero to eight years.

Speaking at the committee's inauguration, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey emphasized the policy's shift from mere commitment to substantial action. She stressed the critical importance of early childhood development, highlighting its role in establishing a robust foundation for children's overall wellbeing across multiple dimensions.

"The early years of a child's life lay the foundation for physical health, emotional wellbeing, cognitive development, social behavior, and lifelong learning," Dr Lartey stated.

The policy adopts a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder approach, focusing on six key areas identified within the Nurturing Care Framework: health, nutrition, early learning, responsive caregiving, safety, and inclusion. The new committee will play a pivotal role in aligning ECCD initiatives, pinpointing any gaps or redundancies in service delivery, bolstering data collection and utilization, fostering collaborative planning, and monitoring progress against the policy's objectives.

Members were briefed on the policy's details and the committee's responsibilities by Pearl Peters, the Head of the Early Childhood Care and Development Unit.