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The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, MoGCSP, has outlined its plan and programme for 2015. In its new year statement, the Ministry said it will review and implement a monitoring and evaluation plan to track interventions within and among MDAs and MMDAs on gender, children and social protection issues. Selected MDAs and MMDAs will be trained on Gender Responsive Budgeting and work will also continue on gender mainstreaming and gender budget analysis at all levels. The ministry also plans to finalise and validate Ghana�s reporting obligations on international Protocols and Commitments (Post MDG Beijing +20 CEDAW and CSW Reports) and disseminate outcomes of international conferences and education on international conventions and protocols Gender equality and equity In the area of Gender Equality and Equity, the Ministry will commemorate two important milestones for the promotion of gender equality. These are 40 years of the establishment of the National Council on Women and Development and 30 years anniversary of the promulgation of the Intestate Succession Law, PNDC Law 111. In addition, the Ministry will undertake sensitization and advocacy programmes on Ghana�s National Plan of Action on United Nations Resolution 1325 and the Affirmative Action Law on the inclusion of women at all levels. It will also institute Gender Dialogues on emerging gender issues, and will extend medical and financial support to women and girls suffering from obstetric fistula. Social Development Key programmes to be implemented under Social Development will include the drafting of the Social Protection Policy and Law, and developing a communication and advocacy strategy on Social Protection, the statement said. �A national Targeting Unit will be created in 2015, and a central authority for adoptions. LEAP will be expanded to cover over 200,000 household beneficiaries and fully roll-out the electronic cash transfer payment system. The Ministry will select 8,000 beneficiaries comprising pregnant women and mothers of children less than one year for the LEAP 1000 project in Northern and Upper East regions.� Areas under consideration on Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking for implementation in 2015 include the enactment of the Human Trafficking Regulations and the development of a National Plan of Action on Human Trafficking, the launching of the shelter for victims of domestic violence and trafficking and rehabilitation and strengthening of the Human Trafficking Secretariat as well as providing professional psychosocial support for human trafficking and domestic violence victims. Furthermore, the Ministry will disseminate the National Child and Family Welfare Policy and finalise the Child Justice Policy on its Children's Rights Promotion, Protection and Development programme as well as finalise review work on the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy to improve coordination for Early Childhood Care Development services (ECCD) for children aged zero to three years. There are also plans to complete and refurbish the ministry�s Office Complex to address its acute office accommodation needs. Successes in 2014 The statement said the Ministry, through the Department of Gender, Department of Children, Department of Social Welfare as well as Domestic Violence Secretariat, Human Trafficking Secretariat and the National Council on Persons with Disability, was able to implement government policies and programmes effectively in 2014. �With regards to Gender Equality and Equity, the most significant intervention this year was the historic closing down of the Bonyasi Witchcamp in the northern region and re-integration of 55 alleged witches into their communities,� the ministry indicated. Other successes enumerated by the statement were the strengthening of the legal and policy framework for gender equity, finalisation of The Affirmative Action Bill for validation and cabinet approval, finalization of the National Gender Policy and the consideration of the Intestate Succession and Property Rights of Spouses Bills by Parliament. The Ministry presented a status report on gender at the 58th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York. In addition, the Ministry submitted and successfully defended Ghana�s 6th & 7th CEDAW Report to the UN CEDAW Committee. The UN CEDAW Committee has issued its Concluding Observations on the Report. We also submitted Ghana�s Beijing +20 Reports to the United Nations. �We undertook fistula repairs for 82 women from Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Central, Western and Greater Accra regions with support from doctors at the Mercy Clinic, Mankessim,� the statement added. On Children's Rights Promotion, Protection and Development, the Ministry finalised the National Child and Family Welfare Policy and submitted it to Cabinet for approval. A Child Justice Policy was developed, with an Advisory Board inaugurated. Ghana�s initial and second Report to the African Union and Expert Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child was also finalised and submitted as well as the Foster Care and Adoption Legislative Instruments which has been submitted to the Attorney General for consideration. Furthermore, the Ministry submitted to Cabinet for approval, ratification of the Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoption, amendment of Children�s Act and ratification of the UN Protocol on child prostitution. �We provided shelter and care for 800 orphans, trained 1406 caregivers ad assisted in reuniting 2234 children in orphanages with their families. Sixty-two orphanages that did not meet requirements were closed down.� Social protection interventions Cabinet granted approval to the Ministry to coordinate all social protection interventions in Ghana. With respect to cash transfers, 77,006 households in 140 Districts in all the 10 Regions received cash grants under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme. The pilot phase for electronic payment has been successfully completed and electronic payment will be rolled our throughout the country.The first ever National Social Protection conference was successfully held by the Ministry to solicit national support for social protection. For the first time in the history of Ghana, a government infrastructure its being created for the elderly. A desk has been established at the Ministry and a National Advisory Committee inaugurated to develop the National Aged Bill. Older persons have difficulties in accessing social services. To ease their burden, the MoGCSP has launched the "Eban Elderly Welfare Card" to enable older people aged 65 years and above to enjoy public transport services at 50 percent discount. 1200 cards have been issued on pilot basis. The card will also will enable them to have priority access to banking, transport and hospital services. 3650 elderly persons and persons with disabilities were registered free of charge onto the national Health Insurance Scheme. The Ministry has inaugurated a national volunteer Advisory Board to develop government machinery for volunteers. A policy for volunteers is being developed together with a database for NGOs. The School of Social Work is also being upgraded to become a centre of excellence for social protection in West Africa. Funding has been secured from the GETFUND for construction of an 18 classroom block, ICT library, tutorial room and administration Block.1,165 persons with disabilities have been identified and registered for various vocational skills and training. Domestic violence and human trafficking According to the statement, the Human Trafficking Legislative Instrument and Domestic Violence Legislative Instrument have been finalised for Parliamentary consideration. The Ministry launched a national campaign on early and child marriages with support from UNICEF and The Netherlands Government. The first disbursement to victims of domestic violence was made in May, 2014 from the Domestic Violence Victim Support Fund. The 16 days of activism against gender based violence was commemorated. A national conference on witchcraft accusations was held to develop a national consensus on issues surrounding witchcraft accusations. The statement expressed the Ministry�s gratitude to its our international and local partners for their immense support and cooperation over the years.