Our Vision

Dr. Iyabode Olusanmi,

UNICEF Ghana Country Representative

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. We believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress.  UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path.  We advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future.

UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. It is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children.

UNICEF provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in 191 countries through country programmes and National Committees. We are UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund.

UNICEF in Ghana

UNICEF has been operational in Ghana since 1982, has the country office in Accra and one field office located in Tamale. The field office spearheads the development activities in the 3 Northern regions of Ghana. 

UNICEF’s overall goal is to support the Government of Ghana in realizing the rights of all Ghanaian children to survival, development, protection and participation, and the creation of an enabling environment to ensure strengthened accountabilities for children with an equity approach.

UNICEF supported programmes target the poorest parts of the country and most marginalized and vulnerable groups of the population, focusing on interventions with a high and immediate impact on children’s health, education, and protection.

Our work in Ghana is guided by Ghana’s National Development Plans (Poverty Reduction Strategy I and II and the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda 2010-13) UNICEF’s Medium-Term Strategic Plan (MTSP) for 2006–2013, and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). At the sectoral level, UNICEF advocates for child friendly policies and supports sectoral plans such as the Child Health Policy, the Education Strategic Plan, and the National Social Protection Strategy.