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The Chief of Social Policy and Inclusion at United Nations International Children Emergency Funds (UNICEF) Ghana, Ms Pauliina Sarvilahti, has praised the government for its commitment to the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme.
She described LEAP as a key social intervention policy that had greatly impacted poverty reduction.
Speaking at the UNICEF Ghana media engagement series in Accra yesterday, Ms Sarvilahti commended LEAP’s effectiveness and noted it as one of the most closely-evaluated programmes since its inception.
However, she emphasised that further improvements were essential to fully realise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
“LEAP has had a real impact, but we need to enhance its reach and effectiveness to combat poverty and hunger,” Ms Sarvilahti remarked.
She also called for more “precise targeting of beneficiaries and timely payments” to enable families to use funds effectively.
Moreover, Ms Sarvilahti said while approximately 28 per cent of children in Ghana experience monetary poverty, nearly 73.4 per cent face multidimensional poverty, which involves multiple and overlapping deprivations.
Ms Sarvilahti warned that global issues, including environmental changes and security concerns had worsened conditions for many children, and making social protection measures more urgent.
Beyond cash transfers, she advocated linking LEAP benefits with essential services like nutrition and healthcare, explaining that such connections would strengthen poverty reduction efforts.
She further stated that UNICEF remained committed to supporting the government in strengthening social policies and inclusion, paving the way toward a future where every child could thrive without the burdens of poverty.
The Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Mariana Madeira, stressed the importance of global partnerships and encouraged Ghana to join the global alliance against hunger and poverty.
Ms Madeira explained that the alliance aimed to provide sustained political momentum and galvanise collective action, creating synergies with existing efforts to combat hunger and poverty.
She added that the alliance focuses on sustainable agriculture, climate-resilient farming, and improving food security that were crucial to ending poverty and hunger worldwide.
“Brazil wants to contribute to the global effort to fight hunger and poverty,” Ms Madeira emphasised.
