STAR-Ghana Foundation under the Action for Voice and Inclusive Development (AVID) project is making strides in influencing reforms that secure the rights of persons with disabilities.
AVID is an initiative funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and aims to create an inclusive society where everyone’s voice is heard and valued.
In an effort to engage diverse communities and gather input for the Manifesto Influencing Initiative, STAR-Ghana Foundation has organized four zonal town hall meetings across the country.
The gatherings were strategically planned to ensure representation from various regions and stakeholder groups, fostering an inclusive and collaborative approach to policy development.
The Manifesto Influencing initiative, a component of the Gender Rights and Empowerment Programme (GREP), commenced with zonal town hall meetings in Tamale, Wa, Ho, Kumasi, and Cape Coast,
The nationwide exercise provided a platform to solicit views and concerns of the citizenry around healthcare delivery, education, and social protection. These are to be discussed with the various political parties to incorporate them into their manifestos for the 2024 general elections.
In a bustling conference hall in the heart of the Ashanti regional capital, representatives from various organizations and regions gathered with eager anticipation for a unique opportunity – the STAR-Ghana Foundation Volunteerism Project Co-Creation and Inception Workshop. This event promised not only a platform for collaboration but also a chance to shape the future of community-driven initiatives.
Selected partners from diverse sectors, ranging from education to healthcare, were invited to present their project proposals for feedback and refinement. The atmosphere buzzed with energy as participants exchanged ideas and shared their visions for positive change in Ghana.
As the workshop commenced, the facilitators emphasized the importance of volunteerism as a catalyst for social transformation. They highlighted STAR-Ghana's commitment to empowering grassroots initiatives and fostering a culture of active citizenship.
The recent approval of the highest-ever allocation from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to basic education by Parliament signals a significant advancement in educational investment under the current government. The allocation of GH₵800 million, representing 20 percent of the total GETFund formula for 2024, marks a substantial increase from the 12 percent allocated in 2023, highlighting the government's heightened recognition of the pressing need for infrastructure development at the basic education level.
A breakdown shows GH₵370 million for new and ongoing basic school projects, GH₵270 million for procurement, and GH₵100 million for furniture, underscoring a comprehensive approach towards addressing the challenges faced by the basic education sector. This progress is a significant step forward, following years of advocacy efforts led by STAR-Ghana Foundation through its partnership with Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), and collaborations with civil society organizations (CSOs), including the Ghana National Education Campaign (GNECC), CSOs Platform on SDGs and Africa Education Watch.
The Foundation in an appreciation letter to parliament expressed gratitude to Chairman and members of the Education Committee for their “unwavering support to equitable and quality access to education”.
A critical aspect of STAR-Ghana Foundation's engagement involved fruitful interactions with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education and consistent dialogue with the Minister of Education, ensuring that the voices of stakeholders were heard and considered in the decision-making process. This collaborative approach facilitated productive discussions, which ultimately led to the approval of this historic allocation for basic education.
Parliament’s Select Committee on Education has pledged to engage the Ministry of Education to convene a national conversation on education delivery as one of the ways of enhancing space for citizen-state dialogues on issues of importance to citizens.
This follows a strategic dialogue held between CSOs and the Education Committee of Parliament. The meeting, convened by STAR-Ghana Foundation brought together CSOs including the African Education Watch, Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition, International Child Development Programme, and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, to dialogue with Parliament’s Select Committee on Education on key issues in basic education. The meeting discussed “Memorandum of Issues in the Basic Education Sector” put together by the Foundation and and its partners.
In his opening remarks, Executive Director of STAR-Ghana Foundation, Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, acknowledged parliament’s work with the Foundation, stressing the importance of the relationship between the two.
“For us, your presence is a testimony of the importance you attach to working with us, which is to help improve the quality of education and make it accessible to all students of this country, regardless of your social status” he said.
He added, “We believe that strengthening the nexus between civil society, Parliament, and duty bearers is critical to any improvement in the country.”
Since last year, STAR-Ghana Foundation and the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) have been implementing an eight-year Civil Society Strengthening Programme – Shifting the Power (CSSP – #StP) which seeks to enhance the effectiveness, responsiveness, and resilience of Civil Society Actors (CSAs).
With funding from Comic Relief and the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), there are three main grant components under the CSSP-#StP): the Catalyst fund, Civil Society Strengthening Fund (CSSF) and Resource Matching fund.
In March 2022, STAR-Ghana Foundation hosted the maiden edition of the national forum on Civil Society Sustainability in Ghana under the theme: "reflections on the conceptual and developmental issues of CSOs in Ghana and the sustainability challenge" - to create space for civil society actors to consolidate ideas on how to sustain the sector. The convening was conceived by CSOs in Ghana after several rounds of consultations. Recommendations proffered on the way forward included: the need to create a common platform for regular deliberations and reflections on the work that CSOs do, the need to diversify CSOs funding sources to navigate the dwindling external funding for CSOs; building the capacities of CSOs to effectively leverage the emerging forms of citizen mobilization and civic activism. With respect to the proposed “National forum on civil society sustainability in Ghana” the key recommendation by the participants included the institutionalisation of the forum and engagements with the NPO secretariat on the way forward around the regulatory framework.
