Also known as: DSW
Government institution appearing in coverage of child protection, trafficking response, and disability support distribution in Ghana.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Chronicle
… The Ahanta West Municipal Assembly, in collaboration with the Member of Parliament for the area, Mavis Kuukua Bissue, and the Department of Social Welfare, has distributed livelihood support items and cash to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) across the municipality. …
Ahanta West Gives PWDs Tools To Build Their Own LivelihoodsJoy Online
… Team 10, representing the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Social Welfare, placed third with mashed plantain, locally known as 3to. …
Public sector reform must prioritise staff welfare – Civil Service headJoy Online
… She said the directorate would also convene a multi-sectoral response involving the Municipal Assembly, Ghana Education Service, Department of Social Welfare, Ghana Police Service, traditional authorities and religious leaders. …
Akatsi South records 177 teenage pregnancies in six monthsThe Chronicle
… Tanihu commended the Volta Regional Police Command, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, the Department of Social Welfare and the Office of the Attorney-General for what he described as their professionalism throughout the investigations. …
Alleged trafficked children were going on vacation – Ada West DCEJoy Online
… They were received by officials from key state institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ghana Immigration Service, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Department of Social Welfare, …
144 Ghanaian migrants safely return from Libya under IOM humanitarian programmeJoy Online
… He now works as a trained electrician and entrepreneur, and said he joined the Ghana Survivor Network in 2021, where he now leads community outreach in Keta, working alongside the police and the Department of Social Welfare to help prevent trafficking and protect vulnerable child …
Trafficked at 7, rescued at 17 — Survivor Godson Glawu calls for sustained child protection fundingJoy Online
… The investigator, according to IJM, initiated a coordinated response and contacted the Department of Social Welfare to take custody of Philip. …
How a 16-year-old boy’s escape from forced labour on Lake Volta helped rescue six trafficked childrenJoy Online
… She acknowledged the contributions of institutions including the Ghana Statistical Service, the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana, the Judicial Service, the Human Trafficking Secretariat, the Department of Social Welfare and …
National Justice Conference calls for sustainable funding to combat child labour exploitationJoy Online
… The GMA further called for NADMO, the Ghana National Fire Service, hospital emergency departments and the Department of Social Welfare to be adequately resourced and equipped to respond effectively to flood-related emergencies. …
GMA demands decisive action to end recurring floods, warns of growing public health risksJoy Online
… The programme brought together residents, women’s fellowship groups, personnel from the Ghana Police Service, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Department of Social Welfare, health professionals, and other stakeholders to discuss ways of addre …
NCCE raises alarm over rising child prostitution in Yilo KroboAn analysis in Joy Online argues that Ghana's age of sexual consent—currently 16—should be raised to 18 to align with the age of marriage and reflect the realities of pregnancy, childbirth, and co-parenting. The piece contends that structural legal and cultural arrangements, rather than individual moral failings, drive many social problems.
25 September 2026 · Joy Online →
An analysis in Joy Online argues that Ghana's age of sexual consent—currently 16—should be raised to 18 to align with the age of marriage and reflect the realities of pregnancy, childbirth, and co-parenting. The piece contends that structural legal and cultural arrangements, rather than individual moral failings, drive many social problems.
25 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Plan International Ghana's Head of Programmes called on the government to establish a dedicated budget line for child protection and adequately resource institutions mandated to protect children, citing inadequate funding as a longstanding challenge across successive governments.
17 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The Country Director of International Justice Mission has called on the Ghana government to prioritise financing for child protection as a strategic investment, noting that Ghana's core child protection spending in 2024 was approximately GH¢7 per child per year, while UNICEF estimates the annual economic cost of child abuse in Ghana at between US$223 million and US$347 million.
17 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) trained service providers in Kumasi on gender-based violence (GBV) and human rights-responsive services as part of a joint Scale-Up Project running from 2024 to December 2026. The project aims to strengthen access to GBV and human rights-responsive services for survivors and marginalised groups.
15 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The Member of Parliament for Sekyere Kumawu, Ernest Yaw Anim, brought together traditional authorities, religious leaders, and state institutions to strengthen collaboration on human rights protection and address child labour in the district, with particular focus on harmful forms of labour including illegal mining.
6 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Morgan's Miracles, a US-based non-profit, has pledged to pay school fees for children at House of Mercy Children's Home for the 2026/27 academic year and donated food, hygiene products, backpacks and educational supplies. The home provides shelter, medical care and educational support for 18 children with various physical and developmental conditions.
4 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ghana Immigration Service is urging the public to stop giving alms directly to migrant beggars and children, warning that direct donations sustain organised begging networks that exploit vulnerable migrants. The appeal follows a GIS operation that apprehended 1,055 people, including 662 children, in Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions on August 29, with the service encouraging donations through the Department of Social Welfare, children's homes, and credible NGOs instead.
2 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The NGO Challenging Heights rescued 25 trafficked children aged 6–14 from forced labour on Lake Volta in a weekend operation with Ghana Police and the Department of Social Welfare. The children, comprising 18 boys and 7 girls from Bono East and Northern Regions, are receiving medical care and psychosocial support at the Challenging Heights Recovery Centre.
31 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ghana Immigration Service conducted an intelligence-led operation targeting human trafficking and exploitative street begging networks across Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions, apprehending 1,055 persons including 662 children, 145 men, and 248 women, along with over 1,000 West African nationals and several Ghanaians suspected as local agents.
31 August 2026 · Joy Online →
A 12-year-old girl was severely beaten by her stepmother with a metal key and knife for taking money and a key, an act that resulted in a four-month prison sentence. The incident reflects a broader pattern: 94 per cent of children aged 1 to 14 in Ghana experience some form of physical punishment or psychological aggression, and Ghana ranks first globally in this statistic.
26 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ahanta West Municipal Assembly, working with the local MP and Department of Social Welfare, has distributed livelihood support items and cash to persons with disabilities to help them establish or expand small businesses and income-generating ventures.
25 August 2026 · The Chronicle →
The Head of the Civil Service has urged greater attention to staff wellbeing, teamwork and discipline as part of public sector reform, saying activities that promote healthy living and interaction can reduce workplace pressure and strengthen cooperation among public servants.
14 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Akatsi South Municipality recorded 177 teenage pregnancies between January and June 2026, accounting for 13.2 per cent of all pregnancies registered during the period and exceeding the national target of below 11.5 per cent. The Municipal Director of Health Services described teenage pregnancy as the municipality's "most troubling indicator" and announced plans for intensified adolescent sexual and reproductive health outreach and multi-sectoral response.
14 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The West Ada District Chief Executive said a group of school children intercepted by security agencies in the Volta Region were travelling to spend vacation with their parents, not victims of trafficking as initially reported. The children, who live with extended family to attend school, were heading to reunite with parents working in fishing and farming communities along the Volta Lake.
13 August 2026 · The Chronicle →
The International Organization for Migration, in collaboration with Ghana's government, has facilitated the safe return of 144 Ghanaian migrants from Libya under its Voluntary Humanitarian Return Programme. The returnees arrived at Accra International Airport on July 14, 2026, and received immigration, health screening, and immediate support including food, psychosocial assistance, and access to reintegration programmes offering livelihood support and vocational skills training.
15 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Godson Glawu, trafficked to Lake Volta at age seven and rescued a decade later through a police operation supported by International Justice Mission Ghana, has called on the government to treat funding for child protection systems as a sustained national priority, describing how coordinated investment in rescue and aftercare services transformed his own life.
7 July 2026 · Joy Online →
A 16-year-old boy's 2024 escape from forced labour on Lake Volta led to the rescue of six other trafficked children, including his younger brother, the International Justice Mission revealed. The case was presented at Ghana's National Justice Conference 2026 as an example of successful collaboration between law enforcement and social protection agencies in combating child trafficking.
7 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Stakeholders at Ghana's National Justice Conference called for sustainable financing of child protection systems, warning that inadequate funding could undermine efforts to combat child labour exploitation and trafficking. The conference, held in Accra, brought together government officials, lawmakers, civil society organisations, faith leaders, survivors and development partners to discuss strengthening long-term interventions for vulnerable children.
7 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ghana Medical Association has called for urgent national action to address Ghana's recurring flooding crisis, warning that increasing frequency and severity of floods pose major threats to public health, lives, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure, with recent flooding affecting Greater Accra, Central, Western and Volta regions.
3 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The director of the Yilo Krobo Municipal Office of the NCCE has raised concerns over increasing cases of child prostitution in Somanya and other parts of the municipality, attributing the rise to growing incidence of gender-based violence. During a sensitization programme on GBV in Somanya, she noted that children's issues have become a major concern in the area.
25 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The Narcotics Control Commission and UHAS Basic School called for sustained investment in youth empowerment, education and community engagement as tools against drug abuse and trafficking, during the school's third World Drug Day celebration in Ho.
25 June 2026 · Joy Online →
At least 18 people died and nearly 9,000 residents were affected after torrential rain triggered devastating floods, building collapses, mudslides and drowning incidents across the Central Region over the weekend. NADMO has ordered evacuation of unsafe buildings, with Cape Coast Metropolis recording the most deaths and 58 building collapses displacing 377 people across the region.
23 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The Executive Director of Women with Disability Development and Advocacy Organisation (WODAO) has called on duty bearers, the private sector, and civil society to address the unique needs of women and girls with disabilities, who face intersecting barriers to their rights and full participation in society. This call was made during a dissemination of guidelines on inclusion and inclusive education toolkits workshop in Winneba, organised by the SPADRA project which operates across Benin, Ghana, Malawi and Zambia.
22 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The Adaklu District Chief Executive has advised members of the District Child Protection Committee to promote modern parenting that emphasizes emotional intelligence, collaborative problem-solving, and mutual respect over traditional "command and control" approaches. The remarks came at the close of a two-day UNICEF-led training workshop for the committee focused on child protection response activities and adolescent protection issues.
14 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The Asantewaa Empowerment Initiative and Shine Above Abuse Conference have launched an awareness campaign in Juaben Municipality aimed at protecting young people from drug abuse and teenage pregnancy through education and empowerment. A medical practitioner warned students that drugs can destroy health and future opportunities, while officials encouraged participants to speak up about abuse.
19 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana Police Service in the Northern Region is providing shelter and support for a 20-year-old woman whose intimate images were circulated online following an alleged assault and blackmail incident in Tamale. The victim alleges the images were released after one of the alleged assailants failed to blackmail her into having sex.
12 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Right To Play Ghana reports that cocoa-growing communities face severe teacher shortages, with some schools operating with only three teachers instead of the required nine. The deficit forces teachers into multi-grade teaching of different curricula, overloading educators and compromising learning outcomes.
11 May 2026 · Joy Online →
The Design and Technology Institute partnered with Dabokpa Technical Institute in Tamale to strengthen vocational training through lab upgrades, quality frameworks, and a new day care centre launched in April 2026 to support young mothers' participation in skills training.
7 May 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
The Executive Director of Cherish a Child Foundation called on stakeholders to join the National Streetism Awareness Project to raise awareness about street children's plight and promote collective action for child protection. The appeal was made at the International Day for Street Children, with emphasis that street children deserve compassion and that coordinated action is needed to support their well-being.
29 April 2026 · Joy Online →