With just four years left to meet the global target of ending child marriage, Ghana has begun a critical review of its national strategy to confront persistent gaps and emerging challenges fueling the practice.

The Child Marriage Unit of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, in collaboration with UNFPA and UNICEF Ghana, on Saturday, January 24, 2026, held a high-level consultative meeting in Accra to review and update the National Strategic Framework (NSF) on Ending Child Marriage.

The one-day engagement assessed progress made between 2017 and 2025, examined implementation bottlenecks, and gathered frontline perspectives to reshape Ghana’s response as the country races towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal target 5.3.

Speaking on behalf of the Chief Director of the Ministry, Dr Afisah Zakariah, the Head of the Child Marriage Unit, Madam Saphia Tamimu, said the review had become necessary as structural vulnerabilities driving child marriage remained deeply entrenched in some communities.

“The National Strategic Framework reflects Ghana’s commitment to safeguarding the rights, dignity and potential of every child,” she said, noting that the country had recorded progress through legislative and policy reforms.

She cited the passage of the Affirmative Action Gender Equity Act, 2024 (Act 1121), the Social Protection Act (Act 1148), and the continued enforcement of the Children’s Act as key milestones that had strengthened institutional responses to child marriage.

However, Madam Tamimu acknowledged that the gains also exposed systemic weaknesses requiring urgent strategic realignment.

“This has necessitated a review and update of our strategic directions, particularly as only four years remain to achieve the target of ending child marriage by 2030,” she added.

Representatives from UNFPA and UNICEF Ghana underscored the need for evidence-based programming, stronger coordination, and sustained partnerships to accelerate progress.

They explained that Phase III of the UNFPA/UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage focuses on scaling up interventions that have proven impact, strengthening national systems, and amplifying the voices of adolescent girls to drive lasting change.

Participants at the meeting engaged in detailed discussions on priority actions, coordination mechanisms, and implementation strategies, drawing from practical experiences at community and district levels.

The consultative process, organisers said, was designed to ensure that the revised framework responds to current realities, aligns with national development priorities, and reflects the lived experiences of girls most at risk of child marriage.