Recent funding cuts and freezes by the U.S. Government (USG) have had a disruptive impact on Ghanaian civil society organizations (CSOs), many of which rely on foreign aid to deliver essential development and humanitarian services. These abrupt changes have jeopardized the continuity of critical programs, put vulnerable communities at risk, and raised serious concerns about the sustainability of civil society efforts across the country. Yet, there has been limited empirical evidence to fully understand the scale of this disruption or guide targeted responses.
In response, STAR-Ghana Foundation undertook a rapid survey to assess the effects of these funding cuts on CSOs in Ghana, with a focus on how organizations are coping, adapting, and mobilizing advocacy. This newly published report and accompanying presentation provide key insights from the study, outlining the methodology, main findings, and strategic recommendations. It serves as a springboard for broader dialogue among funders, policy-makers, and practitioners on safeguarding the future of civil society in Ghana and building resilient systems in the face of funding uncertainties. Access the full report and presentation below to explore the findings in detail and join the conversation on strengthening support for civil society in Ghana amid shifting aid dynamics.
pdf STAR Ghana USAID funding cut report 19 6 25 (450 KB)
document STAR Ghana Foundation USAID cut Presentation 19 6 25 (5.42 MB)
Related projects
Civil Society calls on Government to implement recommendations of the constitutional review commission
The Election Community of Practice and Learning (ECoPL) has organized a high-level stakeholders’ forum on the theme: The Constitutional Review Process, where are we? The event, which was held on Wednesday 30th November 2019 at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in Accra was supported by STAR Ghana Foundation.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairperson of the Governing Council (GC) of STAR Ghana Foundation, Professor Audrey Gadzakpo – member of the GC of the Foundation and Dean of the School of Information and Communication Studies, called on the government of Ghana to adopt an aggressive approach to implementing the recommendations of the constitutional review commission. Prof. Gadzakpo called for a holistic implementation of the recommendations.
“It is important that we adopt a holistic approach to the constitutional review process. We need therefore to put the implementation of the amendments firmly into our priority agenda. We need to re-energize citizens to deepen and consolidate democratic governance. The current situation which we think partly is from outstanding issues in the constitution that we are yet to address is breeding apathy, disengagement of citizens and importantly undermining accountability while encouraging impunity and promoting corruption”.
Deputy Attorney General, Godfred Dame, on his part indicated that the Government of Ghana was working around the clock to implement the recommendations. He said:
“The Attorney General has actually… taken steps to implement some of the recommendations of the constitution review commission. I have indicated that there have been submissions from the office of the Attorney General to Parliament for the amendment of article 243 (1).”
Elections Community of Practice and Learning (ECOPL) is a coalition of highly recognized civil society organizations, media houses, the National Commission for Civic Education, National Media Commission, National Peace Council, Political Parties and activists working together to positively influence elections planning, administration and system in Ghana. ECoPL has four priority areas namely: Constitutional Reforms, peace and security, election credibility and inclusivity as well as the use of ICT tools in elections management.
ECOPL on constitutional reforms stern from STAR-Ghana’s learning vision to strengthen and encourage learning, internally in STAR-Ghana and externally amongst civil society organizations and across diverse stakeholders in Ghana; and more particularly to mobilize critical stakeholders within the governance landscape to harness and share the lessons and emerging issues in respect of the implementation of recommendations for constitutional reforms in Ghana.
United Against Extremism: Community-Driven Prevention in Northern Ghana
In Ghana’s northern regions, proximity to borders, historical marginalization, and limited economic opportunities seem to be creating fertile ground for extremist tendencies/ideologies. Indeed, the risk of violent extremism looms large due to proximity to countries such as Burkina Faso.
But thanks to the Security in Northern Ghana (SING III) Project, communities are flipping the narrative. Through grassroots initiatives by some / five civil society organizations—SAVE Ghana, Young Peace Ambassadors, Belim Wusa Development Agency (BEWDA), Peace for Life Ghana, and Social Initiative for Literacy and Development Programme (SILDEP) —local actors are becoming the first line of defence in Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE).
A critical success of the SING III project lies in community sensitization—ensuring that ordinary people are not just aware of violent extremism but are equipped to counter it.
SILDEP’s community sensitization campaigns in Sissala East and West served as eye-openers. Many residents were unaware that violent extremism was already at their doorstep. Through town hall meetings, interactive dialogue, and targeted messaging via radio jingles, the organisation helped communities identify early signs of radicalization. “Now they know how to ask questions when strangers arrive,” said Anthionette Kuukye, Project Officer at SILDEP.
“This partnership with STAR-Ghana has sharpened our approach to peacebuilding. Now, our communities understand that violent extremism isn’t a distant threat. It’s right at our doorstep.”
Antiviolence Response Teams
A standout PVE strategy across several partners has been the formation of Community Antiviolence Response Teams (CART)—volunteer groups trained to observe, report, and prevent threats of violence or extremism.
BEWDA, SILDEP, and SAVE Ghana established CARTs across more than 20 communities. These teams—comprising youth, women, and local leaders—were trained by Ghana’s Police, Immigration, and National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) officers. Their training included identifying red flags, reporting protocols, and community mediation.
In Kasana, CART members facilitated the arrest of armed robbers, proving the value of localized vigilance. “Before this, we didn’t know how to act when we saw suspicious people,” said Bukari Batong, a CART member. “Now we know how to observe, how to report, and how to protect our community.”
In Pusiga, a vulnerable border district with porous boundaries, BEWDA targeted cross-border threats. Community-based forums with local security agencies, including immigration and customs, strengthened trust and created a culture of “See Something, Say Something.” Community champions, including youth leaders and women, were trained to identify suspicious movements and share intelligence with local authorities.
A Fulbe elder, Dicko Sulleimani, noted: “Now, we are not just bystanders. We are part of the solution. We watch the borders, and we report movements that don’t feel right.”
Peace Ambassadors
Youth in underserved communities are often seen as vulnerable to radicalization—but under SING III, they’ve become agents of peace.
Young Peace Ambassadors (YPA) has creatively engaged communities through football tournaments and youth parliaments to raise awareness on peace and prevent violent extremism. A recent “Football for Peace” event featured mixed teams of Fulbe and Dagomba youth, promoting teamwork and unity.
In addition, mock youth parliamentary sessions brought together diverse voices to debate peaceful coexistence and integration strategies. “These platforms allow young people to express themselves and contribute to building a peaceful society,” said Baba Kamaldeen, Executive Director of YPA.
He added, “By giving young people, the platform to lead conversations on peace, we’re building their resistance to radicalisation.”
Abdul Wahab Yusif, a youth participant, shared, “Before, I didn’t understand why people from other tribes were different. Now, I know we are all part of the same community.”
Religious and Cultural Inclusion
PVE efforts also focused on dismantling discrimination and marginalization, which extremists often exploit to recruit.
Peace for Life Ghana worked across ethnic and religious divides in Saboba, engaging both Christian and Muslim youth in peacebuilding activities. The organisation organized interfaith sessions that promoted shared values of tolerance, dialogue, and mutual respect.
In many communities, the Fulbe were previously excluded from decision-making processes. Through sensitizations and inclusion campaigns led by SILDEP, SAVE Ghana, and BEWDA, Fulbe individuals have now been appointed to leadership roles and included in planning discussions. This not only enhances community cohesion but deprives extremists of fertile ground for recruitment.
Leveraging local media
Across all five partner organizations, radio programming played a critical role in raising awareness and spreading PVE messages.
SILDEP and SAVE Ghana produced radio jingles that addressed Fulbe integration, early warning signs of radicalization, and encouraged collective community vigilance.
BEWDA aired interactive radio dialogues where security officers answered live questions from residents on how to report suspicious activities, protect their borders, and ensure communal peace.
One of the most significant outcomes of the PVE strategy has been a cultural shift—from passive tolerance to active protection.
In the past, communities would ignore strangers or strange activities, assuming it was “someone else’s problem.” Now, thanks to training and dialogue, there is collective ownership of safety. We used to think peace was the job of the police,” said Katara Batong, a community volunteer. “Now, we know peace starts with us. We’re more alert, more united, and more ready.”
Local Power in Preventing Extremism
The SING III Project has shown that preventing violent extremism doesn’t always require only barbed wire or checkpoints—it requires people. When communities are empowered to include, to listen, to protect, and to act, extremism finds no room to grow.
By equipping local CSOs with tools and trust, and by building bridges between security agencies and ordinary citizens, the project has made communities not just aware of the threats, but actively resilient to them.
As Titus Deri of the Ghana Immigration Service at Sissala East affirmed, “These communities have become more than just aware—they’ve become watchful. And that, to me, is the greatest defense against extremism.”
Stakeholders push for more investments to improve girl’s education
Speakers at a STAR-Ghana Foundation forum have called for increased investments in education to improve access to education for all.
The call is coming on the back of concerns that poverty and cost-related (hidden) challenges remain foremost on the list of barriers that confront girls’ continuous access to education.
Therefore, the unique needs of girls should be factored into education financing to enable girls to enroll, remain and complete their education.
The forum was held under the theme ‘Increasing Inclusive Access to Continuous Quality Education for Girls.”
In a scoping review of the challenges to girls’ education, Projects Manager at STAR-Ghana Foundation, Dr Ernestina Tetteh, cited as an example, the public outcry over prospectus for senior high school (SHS) education indicates that the Free SHS policy is not as inclusive as purposed to be.
“If accompanying FSHS is an estimated cost of GH₵3000 to GH₵4000 to buy prospectus then some people will still be left out. So, those costs that we see behind ‘free’ does not make it inclusive and ensure that girls also have access to, remain and complete education,” she said.
According to Dr Tetteh, there is low budgetary allocation for specific interventions that benefit girls’ education.
For instance, until the year 2020, complementary basic education, an important strategy in reducing the growing number of ‘out of school children’ especially girls, was solely donor funded. In the 2023 budget, an allocation of GH₵2.1 million has been made for complimentary education, while the Ministry of Education’s Strategic Plan 2018-2030 commits only 1 percent (%) of its Basic Education Budget to supporting Complementary Basic Education programme.
Budget execution
The Executive Director, Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, noted the financing architecture of Ghana’s education system does not prioritise basic education but secondary education.
This, he said gives girls at the secondary level more support to remain in school and complete than at the basic level.
“If you look at the envelope of the Ministry of Education, there is compensation (salaries), and discretionary budget that is unrestricted and could be touched. An analysis of the education budget shows that only about five per cent (5%) of the discretionary budget comes to basic education, it was previously 19 percent, and it has been coming down yearly.”
He added that the way public resources are deployed to finance education determines the extent to which the delivery of education will be possible and will include the needs of the vulnerable.
“Until we can pursue government to prioritise gender-responsive budgeting, we will talk and talk and will not see any improvement,” he said.
The Head of Programmes at STAR-Ghana Foundation, Eunice Racheal Agbenyadzi, beyond advocating for increased budget allocation, civil society should also be interested in actual disbursement, which has shown to be poor (more than 10% variance between allocated and disbursed).
“We need collective influencing on education budget to see increases in the areas of capital expenditure, and goods and services, but also to follow disbursements. We need stronger coalition as civil society to demand this,” she said.
The forum
The forum was organised by STAR-Ghana Foundation and partners under the Gender Rights and Empowerment Programme (G-REP) with funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the UK government.
The FCDO on G-REP seeks to contribute to increasing girls’ education, promoting women’s voices, political participation and addressing issues of violence and abuse against women and girls.
Fact sheet
Situation of girls’ education in Ghana
- Ghana has reached gender parity in enrolment, but regional disparities exist, particularly as junior and secondary high levels.
- Girls are still underrepresented in some subjects particularly Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
- Water, sanitation and hygiene related challenges are still persistent
- Girls in school pregnancy causing drop-out among girls is still high
- High number of out of schoolgirls (289,456) ActionAid (2020); 244,731 girls aged 6-14 (GSS 2022)
- Lack of gender disaggregated education data poses a challenge for adequate planning towards the promotion of girls’ education.
