The Head of Social Policy and Inclusion of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in Ghana, Mrs. Pauliina Sarvilahti, has commended the government for its commitment to the empowerment program Livelihood Action Against Poverty (LEAP).

She described LEAP as a key social intervention policy that has had a significant impact on poverty reduction.

Speaking at the UNICEF Ghana media engagement series in Accra yesterday, Ms Sarvilahti praised the effectiveness of LEAP and noted it as one of the most closely evaluated programs since its inception.

However, she stressed that further improvements were essential to fully achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

“LEAP has had a real impact, but we need to increase its reach and effectiveness in the fight against poverty and hunger,” remarked Ms. Sarvilahti.

She also called for “more precise targeting of beneficiaries and timely payments” to allow families to use funds effectively.

Furthermore, Ms. Sarvilahti said that while about 28 percent of children in Ghana suffer from monetary poverty, almost 73.4 percent face multidimensional poverty, which involves multiple and overlapping deprivations.

Ms Sarvilahti warned that global problems, including environmental changes and security concerns, had worsened the living conditions of many children and made social protection measures more urgent.

Beyond cash transfers, she advocated linking LEAP benefits to essential services like nutrition and health care, explaining that such linkages would strengthen poverty reduction efforts.

She further said that UNICEF remained committed to supporting the government in strengthening social policies and inclusion, paving the way for a future where every child could thrive without the burden of poverty.

The Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana, Ms. Mariana Madeira, highlighted 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 lasting political momentum and galvanize collective action, creating synergies with existing efforts to combat hunger and poverty.

She added that the alliance focuses on sustainable agriculture, climate-resilient agriculture and improving food security, which are key to ending global poverty and hunger.

“Brazil wants to contribute to the global effort to combat hunger and poverty,” stressed Ms. Madeira.