United Nations in Ghana

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Ghana:

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Publication

01 April 2025

UN Ghana Annual Results Report 2024

To address multifaceted development challenges, our efforts focused on areas such as transforming food systems, accelerating digital transformation, advancing educational reforms, strengthening peace and security frameworks, tackling climate change, and supporting urbanization and humanitarian preparedness.Our collective work not only aimed to address pressing issues but also to establish a solid foundation for long-term sustainable development, with a continued commitment to the principle of Leaving No One Behind.Additionally, strengthening partnerships and securing financing for the 2030 Agenda remained a focal point, as did efforts to improve UN coherence, effectiveness, and efficiency through the approach of "UN Working More and Better Together."

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09 June 2025

UNESCO Supports “Echoes of the Landfill” Exhibition at Ghana’s Museum of Science and Technology in commemoration of World Environment Day 2025

The exhibition is a collaborative effort by the Museum of Science and Technology (MST) and ArtfullyYours, Bee Arthur Creative Productions for World Environment Day 2025. The exhibition convened six Ghanaian eco-conscious artists—Obed Addo, Beatrice Bee Arthur, Essilfie Banton, Andrea Ghia, and Salim—who excavate the hidden politics within discarded plastic: narratives of colonial residues, neoliberal excess, and quiet acts of African resilience as well as spotlight the urgent issue of waste and its impact on both the environment and human well-being, using art, culture, and science as powerful tools for awareness and change.“Echoes of the Landfill” transformed the museum space into a compelling narrative on environmental degradation, consumer culture, and the hidden legacy of landfills. Through installations made from repurposed and recycled materials, alongside interactive exhibits and multimedia storytelling, visitors were invited to reflect on the journey of waste—from homes and markets to dumping grounds—and its broader implications on ecosystems, health, and heritage. One of the artists, Bee Arthur shared saying “the artists in this exhibition do not recycle—they resurrect trash. Through sculpture, installation, painting, poetry, and photography, they force plastic to confess: as a relic of extractivism, a marker of climate injustice, and paradoxically, a medium for African futurity” “This is NOT an exhibition about waste. It is an intervention in time. A demand to rewrite the lexicon of value: that a bag is not "single-use" but a generational artifact; that those who scavenge are archivists of the Anthropocene” Bee Arthur further echoes. The UNESCO Representative and Chairperson for the occasion, Mr. Edmond Moukala stated that; “Echoes of the Landfill” is a powerful exhibition at the intersection of art, science, and sustainability, compelling audiences to confront the often-overlooked consequences of waste and consumer habits. Using artworks made from discarded materials, gives voice to the silent stories of landfills—reminding us that waste does not vanish but accumulates, leaving lasting imprints on the environment, our health, and future generations. In Ghana, where landfills grow rapidly with plastics, e-waste, and pollutants, this exhibition highlights the urgent need for national reflection on environmental choices and their impacts on urban life and ecosystems. Through its evocative displays, “Echoes of the Landfill” challenges us to rethink the afterlife of our consumption and the legacy we are creating”. “Echoes of the Landfill” opens on the back of an exhibition “Nature Without Humans” by Nii Boi which UNESCO supported at this same museum in 2021 on World Environment Day - a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of the intricate relationship between humanity and the natural world inviting viewers to imagine ecosystems, landscapes, and environments untouched—or recovering—from human impact.The exhibition highlighted the critical role that environmental education, youth engagement, and indigenous knowledge systems play in fostering responsible environmental stewardship. UNESCO emphasized that the integration of culture and creativity into environmental discourse can inspire more inclusive and lasting solutions to global challenges like pollution and climate change.The event brought together students, artists, environmental scientists, policy-makers such as Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie the sector Minister, agencies such as the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board and the Creative Arts Agency as well as members of the public, creating a vibrant space for dialogue and learning. In line with the 2025 World Environment Day theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution” the exhibition encouraged visitors to consider how waste impacts land use, biodiversity, and community life, and to imagine alternatives rooted in sustainability, innovation, and collective action.UNESCO commends the Museum of Science and Technology and its partners for curating such a powerful experience that bridges science and culture to provoke critical thought and promote environmental consciousness. By supporting initiatives like “Echoes of the Landfill,” UNESCO continues to advocate for environmental responsibility that is grounded in cultural awareness, education, and participatory engagement—empowering communities to act for a healthier, more sustainable future.

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30 March 2026

Data for Development: How School Health Surveys Are Shaping Ghana’s Education

John is a sixteen-year-old student at Atiavi-Agbodekor Roman Catholic Basic School in Ghana’s Volta Region. After school, he works as a commercial tricycle rider to earn an income. The steady flow of cash has exposed him to peer pressure, with friends urging him to engage in transactional sex as a supposed marker of manhood. John admits that this has been his lifestyle for over a year, but he is increasingly worried about the consequences.His experience reflects the reality of many adolescents who, while striving to succeed academically, face pressures that put their health and future at risk. Peer influence, economic hardship, and social expectations often drive students toward behaviors that compromise their safety and well-being. These risks—ranging from sexually transmitted infections to violence and emotional distress—can erode their ability to concentrate, remain in school, and achieve their aspirations. Concerns such as rising HIV infections among adolescents, incidents of school-based violence, and the need to measure the impact of health education investments all depend on robust data. According to the Ghana AIDS Commission, new HIV infections among adolescents aged 10–19 accounted for 11.9 percent in 2024, compared to 10.8 percent in 2022. Reports of school violence have also increased in recent years.Such challenges highlight the importance of gathering reliable evidence on student health and school health systems. Without credible data, the struggles of young people like John remain hidden, and policies risk missing the mark. Recognizing this, the United Nations in Ghana—led by UNESCO and WHO—together with national partners, supported two major nationwide surveys between 2023 and 2024: the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) and the Global School Health Policies and Practices Survey (G-SHPPS). Together, the GSHS and G-SHPPS reached 438 primary and secondary schools nationwide. The GSHS was conducted in 38 scientifically selected schools, engaging 3,973 learners aged 13–17. It examined nutrition, physical activity, mental health, hygiene, substance use, sexual health, violence, and protective factors—providing a standardized picture of adolescent health challenges. In parallel, the G-SHPPS was implemented in 400 schools, with headteachers and school leaders contributing data on health services, learning environments, food and nutrition, physical education, governance, and resources.The findings are expected to guide ministries and stakeholders in designing targeted interventions on issues such as substance use, oral hygiene, and mental health support. They will also strengthen the integration of health into education, recognizing that student success depends as much on well-being as on academic performance. Regular implementation of such surveys establishes benchmarks for tracking progress across both sectors.Leadership for this national process has come from within Ghana’s education system. Theresah Oppong Mensah, Director of the School Health Education Programme at the Ghana Education Service, serves as principal investigator and chairs a steering committee comprising representatives from GES, the Ghana Health Service, the Ministry of Education, and WHO. She explains: “From my perspective, the GSHS exercise is more than a survey; it is a voice for young people and a compass for evidence-driven decision-making. The partnership with these UN agencies reflects a shared commitment to fostering healthy learning environments and securing a brighter future for Ghana’s adolescents.”A national report is now being prepared for dissemination to stakeholders. Its findings will guide school health and adolescent health programming, establish national priorities, and contribute to global comparisons that support shared learning. The data responds to growing demand from policymakers and partners for evidence that can guide future action, enabling Ghana and its partners to monitor trends, advocate for resources, and evaluate the impact of policies and programmes over time.Beyond the statistics, the surveys highlight a practical outcome: listening directly to students and educators and translating their experiences into actionable knowledge. Through UN support, national institutions have gathered reliable evidence that can shape healthier learning environments and strengthen the link between education and well-being.For John, these lessons are personal and empowering, though he admits constant reminders are necessary. “Madam, always educates us not to have unprotected sex to prevent diseases. My boys tell me the girls see me as a clown, and this is really affecting me. Regardless, I see school as the tool to push me to greater heights and not the tricycle I am currently riding. My focus is on education. I think I should start having protected sex to be able to enjoy the fruits of my education.”

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30 March 2026

Tennin Woron: A Model of Shared Responsibility and Inclusive Development in Northern Ghana

In the far north of Ghana’s Upper West Region, a community has quietly become one of the most compelling demonstrations of solidarity and locally driven refugee inclusion in West Africa. Without fanfare, the people of Zini opened their land, their markets, and their local governance to families who had fled violence in Burkina Faso. What grew from that decision is now known as “Tennin Woron”, a name that means "Finish Well" in Sissali, and one that captures the community's shared determination to see this through together.The settlement was formerly called the Zini Refugee Settlement. The new name reflects a deeper shift: this is no longer just a place where refugees were received. It is a place where refugees and hosts are building something together.There are 1,021 refugees living in Tennin Woron today. They fled their home country to seek refuge. When they reached Zini, the community faced a choice. The chiefs and elders did not hesitate. They offered land for families to settle, opened farmlands for cultivation, and welcomed newcomers into local markets, this despite Zini's own development challenges. According to the people of Zini, the community is guided by one principle: one does not turn away people running for safety. The Zini Traditional Council thus granted refugee leaders a permanent seat in its meetings, ensuring that displaced families have a meaningful voice in local decision‑making. The Sissala West District Assembly further integrating the refugees into district development plans, preventing parallel structures and reinforcing national systems. Six UN agencies have worked alongside the government and the community to strengthen services across health, education, infrastructure, and security. The results are visible and practical: health services are more accessible, schools are functioning, and community policing and border monitoring have been reinforced.But the more telling story is in the fields.Refugees have become active participants in local agriculture. During peak farming seasons, their labour has filled gaps that the community previously struggled with. Productivity has grown, and both refugee and host households are more food secure as a result. Through the GRASP programme, refugees and host community members now farm side by side, learning climate-smart techniques and accessing markets together.The Paramount Chief of Zini put it plainly: "Our brothers and sisters who sought refuge here have introduced farming techniques that many of our young people are now adopting. Their knowledge has improved our yields, and their presence has expanded our local market. They have become part of our progress."His words reflect a reality that the data supports: refugees here are not waiting to be helped. They are contributing.Women's groups and youth networks in Tennin Woron are taking part in livelihood programmes and skills training. Women are leading market-based activities. Young people are engaged in social mobilisation. Both groups are helping shape what the community becomes, not as beneficiaries of a programme, but as people with a stake in the outcome. This matters because lasting integration is not built through infrastructure alone. It is built through the relationships, roles, and opportunities that ordinary people experience every day.With long-term investment, Tennin Woron can continue demonstrating what is possible when humanity, partnership, and development vision converge: a community where refugees and hosts build their future together finishing well and moving forward with dignity. It is a model worth strengthening, protecting, and replicating.Sustaining what has been built will require continued investment. Climate-smart agriculture and livelihood opportunities need to be expanded. Health and education systems need ongoing support as the population grows. Social cohesion, which has been carefully cultivated, needs to be protected. And the infrastructure that connects this community to the wider region needs to be strengthened.The people of Tennin Woron, refugees and hosts alike, have already shown what they are willing to do and capable of doing. What they need is continuous support.

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27 March 2026

Ghana's Digital Leap — One Entrepreneur at a Time

Abena runs a small fabric business from a market stall in Accra. For years, her customers were whoever happened to walk past. Her prices were set by instinct, her credit history was invisible to banks, and her growth was capped by geography. She had a smartphone, a product people wanted, and ambition. She had no bridge between where she was and where she could go.Abena is not alone. Ghana's micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) account for the vast majority of the country's private sector employment, yet millions of entrepreneurs like Abena remain locked out of the digital economy and they are unable to access affordable finance, navigate e-commerce platforms, or benefit from the policy frameworks that shape the business environment around them.That is the gap a UN Joint Programme, the Digital Transformation High-Impact Track Joint Programme, led by UNCTAD, UNDP, and UNCDF, is working to close. And in its second year, the results are beginning to show.A Strategy Born from ListeningIn June 2025, Ghana took a landmark step: the country's first-ever National E-commerce Strategy was validated at a high-level workshop attended by scores of stakeholders including government ministers and fintech founders, as well as women entrepreneurs, digital trade advocates and development partners. The Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Hon. Sampson Ahi, commended participants for their continued commitment to the development of the National E-commerce Strategy. He remarked that “the strategy… marks the beginning of a coordinated national effort to make e-commerce work for all Ghanaians.”Grounding national policy in private sector realities and grassroots voices, the strategy directly supports SDG 8.3, which is “promoting policies that encourage productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, and the formalization of MSMEs.” For entrepreneurs like Abena, it means that the rules of the game are finally being written with her in mind.The strategy is supported by a strengthened coordination framework. In September 2025, the country inaugurated a multi‑stakeholder E‑commerce Committee to steer and monitor digital trade reforms. The Committee brings together public institutions, regulators, private sector associations, academia and development partners. It oversees the implementation of the National E‑Commerce Strategy and the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol, a major agreement under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) designed to create unified, continent‑wide rules for digital trade, as well as tracks progress in the development of e‑commerce and digital trade in Ghana, and coordinates initiatives led by development partners and other stakeholders.A Platform That Opens DoorsThe Joint Programme partnered with the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE) and the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) to build something tangible: the MSME Digital Gateway. This is a platform designed to connect small businesses to markets, services, and opportunities they could not previously reach. It was built with the realization that policy must be accessible.After months of development, user testing, and refinement, the Gateway went live and was unveiled at Ghana's national MSME Day celebrations in June 2025, a fitting moment, given that the day exists to honor exactly the people the platform is built for. Over 7,500 MSMEs will be able to access business advisory support and other support services from the Gateway, while the Government of Ghana will integrate a digital platform for planning and monitoring e-commerce reforms.For many MSMEs, the Gateway is a front door to the digital economy, aligned with SDG target to harness technology to promote women's empowerment. Plans are already underway to expand its reach to over 100 districts and to integrate an e-commerce module that will allow entrepreneurs to sell their products.The gateway will include information on business registration and other support services, information on access to finance, capacity building tools, and an e-commerce marketplace to help MSMEs sell their products online," announced UNDP's Deputy Resident Representative, Shaima Hussein.Finance That FitsA platform without finance is a map without a road. The Joint Programme understood this from the start. For entrepreneurs like Abena, securing loans or investment capital remains one of the greatest hurdlesFive financial service providers including fintechs, savings and loans companies, and micro-credit institutions, were selected through a competitive process to design digital financial products specifically for women and youth-led MSMEs. The process is deliberately human-centred: before any product is prototyped, teams go into the field to understand what entrepreneurs actually need, where they live, and what barriers they face.The goal is to redefine how the financial sector sees underserved markets, from risk to opportunity. The programme is de-risking that first step, so that the private sector penetrates and provides the much needed financial support to MSMEs without risks.Building for the Long GameWhat makes the Digital Transformation High-Impact Track Joint Programmes catalytic is the architecture underneath, the deliberate effort to ensure continuity even long after the end of the programme.The EU has joined as a strategic partner, with a potential 15 million EUR investment in private sector development in the pipeline. Impact investors and venture capitalists gathered at the Africa Impact Summit are beginning to see Ghana's MSME ecosystem differently. The Mastercard Foundation is exploring linkages with the Digital Gateway. The Overseas Development Institute and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit have supported developments at policy level, including the monitoring and coordination of the National E-commerce Strategy implementation.The Joint Steering Committee includes government, the EU, and the UN, a governance structure designed for accountability and continuity. And at the center of it all are the Ministry of Trade, the Ghana Enterprises Agency, and the five financial service providers, each with a stake, a role, and a reason to keep going when the programme ends.What This Looks Like for AbenaAbena does not know the name of the joint programme. She does not need to. What she will know is that there is now a platform where she can list her fabrics and reach buyers across the country. That there is a financial product designed around her cash flow, not a bank's assumptions. That the government's new e-commerce strategy was built with people like her in mind.The digital economy is no longer a distant horizon for Ghana's entrepreneurs. It is becoming, piece by piece, a place they can enter.This joint programme is supported by the UN Joint SDG Fund and implemented by UNCTAD, UNDP, and UNCDF in partnership with the Government of Ghana.

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25 March 2026

Ghana Leads Historic UN Vote Declaring Slave Trade the Gravest Crime Against Humanity

The United Nations General Assembly has voted to designate the Transatlantic Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and the system of racialised chattel enslavement as “the gravest crime against humanity.” Adopted on Wednesday 25 March 2026 with an overwhelming majority of 123 Member States voting in favour, UN Resolution A/80/L.48 marks a historic shift in the international community’s engagement with the enduring legacies of slavery. Three countries—Argentina, Israel, and the United States—voted against it and 52 abstained.

The resolution was spearheaded by Ghana and strongly supported by the African Union. Ghana’s leadership in championing this resolution reflects a deliberate and strategic effort to move global discourse on slavery beyond symbolic acknowledgment toward institutional accountability and reparatory justice. By rallying broad cross‑regional support and negotiating a text that commands such decisive backing, Ghana has positioned itself at the forefront of an evolving global justice movement. This initiative builds on Ghana’s longstanding legacy as a gateway of African remembrance and reconciliation, from its “Year of Return” initiatives to its sustained advocacy within the United Nations on issues of racial justice. Through this resolution, Ghana has elevated the conversation from reflecting on past atrocities to advancing concrete policy commitments aimed at redress, structural reform, and systemic transformation.

The resolution’s call for reparations extends far beyond financial compensation. It highlights the need for recognition of the immense scale and brutality of slavery as a crime against humanity, reconciliation rooted in truth‑telling and historical accountability, and transformational change addressing the persistent global inequalities that remain tied to the legacy of enslavement.

Speaking at a high‑level event on reparatory justice held in New York on 24 March 2026, the President of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, reiterated the significance of this landmark decision, stating: “This resolution is a pathway to healing and reparative justice. This resolution is a safeguard against forgetting.” His words capture the dual purpose of the resolution: to honour the memory of the millions whose lives were stolen and to lay the foundation for a more just international order—one that confronts historical truth while building mechanisms for equitable futures.

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09 March 2026

UN Resident Coordinator Reaffirms Partnership with Ghana's National Development Planning Commission

The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ghana, H.E. Zia Choudhury, met with the Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah, to strengthen the partnership between the United Nations and the Government of Ghana in delivering on the country's development agenda.The meeting demonstrated the depth of a relationship that has grown well beyond protocol. As Ghana's apex planning institution, the NDPC shapes the strategic direction of national development including setting priorities, guiding resource allocation, and ensuring that policy translates into measurable progress for Ghanaian communities. For the UN, it is a natural and indispensable partner. That partnership has already produced tangible results. The two institutions have worked side by side to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, and their collaboration has been central to Ghana's Voluntary National Reviews, the country's formal accountability reports presented at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, where Ghana has consistently demonstrated firm commitment to the SDGs.Welcoming the UN delegation, Dr. Amoah called for deepening that collaboration at a moment when it matters most. Development planning in Ghana, she emphasized, must remain coordinated, evidence-based, and anchored in both national priorities and global commitments, and the UN's technical and analytical support is integral to that effort.Mr. Choudhury was unequivocal in response: the UN stands ready to intensify its support. Ghana is at a pivotal juncture, navigating fiscal pressures, a post-IMF programme transition, and the imperative to build more resilient, inclusive growth. The UN's engagement with the NDPC, he affirmed, will be calibrated to meet that moment, bringing the full weight of the UN system's expertise, data, and convening power to bear on Ghana's most pressing development challenges.

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Press Release

15 April 2026

Business, Government, UNHCR Align to Drive New Economic Pathways for Refugees in Ghana

The Dialogue focused on mobilizing private sector engagement in agriculture through the Ghana Refugee Agribusiness and Sustainability Programme (GRASP), a joint initiative that connects refugee inclusion with national development priorities and positions agribusiness as a pathway to economic opportunity, self-reliance, and resilience. With over 30,000 asylum seekers arriving in Ghana since 2022, primarily in rural northern regions, the Dialogue highlighted the need to move beyond short-term assistance toward approaches that enable people to work, earn, and contribute to local economies.
GRASP, now integrated into Ghana’s Feed Ghana Programme, reflects a coordinated effort among UNHCR, the Ghana Refugee Board, and national institutions to align humanitarian response with long-term development and private-sector investment. “Refugee inclusion is fundamentally about enabling people to rebuild their lives with dignity,” said Mr. Tetteh Padi, Head of UNHCR Ghana. “Through initiatives such as GRASP, we are working with government and private sector partners to ensure that refugees and host communities can access livelihoods, participate in the economy, and contribute to shared growth.”
The Dialogue provided a platform for private sector actors to explore opportunities across agricultural value chains, including production, processing, and market access, while identifying areas for collaboration, investment, and innovation. “Across Africa, we increasingly experience protracted displacement. Our response is evolving accordingly,” said Nancy Aburi, Chief of Private Sector Partnerships Africa, UNHCR. “This partnership demonstrates how an engaged private sector can integrate refugees into Agribusiness value chains, contributing towards thriving economies and communities.”

Government representatives emphasized the importance of aligning refugee inclusion with national development frameworks and ensuring that refugee-hosting areas are integrated into broader economic strategies.
“Ghana is advancing an approach to refugee inclusion that is fully aligned with national development priorities,” said the Deputy Executive Secretary, Ghana Refugee Board, on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Nana Asare Bediako. “Through GRASP and its integration into the Feed Ghana Programme, refugee-hosting areas are being positioned within our broader economic planning—linking livelihoods, markets, and investment to regions where both refugees and host communities are building their futures.”
Private sector leaders emphasized the scale of opportunity within agricultural value chains in northern Ghana, particularly as partnerships create clearer entry points for investment and market engagement.
“We see strong potential to engage across agricultural value chains—from production to processing and market access,” said Mr. Nii Annorbah-Sarpei, Programmes Manager, KGL Foundation. “GRASP brings together the partnerships, coordination, and structure that allow businesses to participate in ways that are practical, scalable, and aligned with long-term growth.”
The Dialogue brings together government, private sector, and development partners around a shared focus on expanding livelihoods, strengthening value chains, and increasing investment in refugee-hosting areas.
For more information, please contact:
Jessica Quarshie | UNHCR Private Sector Partnerships – Ghana | quarshij@unhcr.org
About UNHCR
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced
communities and stateless people. We work in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions, and to support solutions that allow people to rebuild their lives in safety and dignity

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Press Release

27 February 2026

UNEP seeks young people with big ideas to protect the planet

The Young Champions of the Earth prize is UNEP’s flagship global youth initiative. Since 2017, it has recognized 33 young trailblazers – activists, entrepreneurs, and environmental innovators from age 18 to 30 – for their outstanding ideas to protect the environment. The programme is run in partnership with American cleantech CEO Chris Kemper, who is also UNEP’s Advocate for Partnerships and co-founder of Planet A.2026 Young Champions will receive US$10,000 seed funding from Kemper, mentorship, access to a network of experts, and opportunities to engage in high-level United Nations events. They will also be brought to New York to compete in a pitch competition for a US$100,000 grant from Planet A.UNEP encourages applications from young entrepreneurs, scientists, economists, artists, and communicators from all backgrounds who are advancing bold ideas for people, planet, and prosperity. To demonstrate feasibility and commitment, applicants must have actively pursued their ideas for a minimum of six months.“Tackling the interconnected crises of climate change, land degradation, biodiversity and nature loss, and pollution and waste is not an act of charity. It can deliver tangible economic benefits for countries, communities, and individuals,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “We are proud that through the Young Champions programme, these amazing individuals get mentorship, training, and seed funding to turn ambitious ideas into viable solutions for people and planet.”The 2025 Young Champions of the Earth awardees were: Jinali Mody of India, founder and CEO of Banofi Leather, which transforms banana crop waste into a plant-based leather alternative; Joseph Nguthiru, founder of Kenyan startup HyaPak, which produces biodegradable packaging from water hyacinth pulp; and Noemi Florea, inventor of Cycleau, a system that converts greywater into drinking water. Nguthiru then went on to win a $100,000 grant from Planet A.“We are proud to support these amazing young people who are changing the world,” said Kemper. “Joseph, Jinali, and Noemi showed us last year that individuals can do so much to safeguard our planet. I am excited to meet the 2026 Young Champions.”NOTES TO EDITORSAbout the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.About Planet A
Planet A is a new YouTube channel, launched with the support of The Christopher Kemper Foundation. It is designed to spark action that safeguards the future of our planet. It brings together creators, experts, and partners to drive environmental awareness and action through a range of educational stories, contests and collaborations. For more information, contact Planet A press team.About UNEP’s Young Champions of the Earth Award
Young Champions of the Earth is UNEP’s flagship youth engagement initiative. The award is bestowed to ambitious young people from around the world with outstanding ideas to protect and restore the environment.

For more information, please contact:
News and Media Unit, UN Environment Programme

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Press Release

20 February 2026

UN report details grave abuses against those trafficked into scam centres

The report documents instances of torture and other ill-treatment, sexual abuse and exploitation, forced abortions, food deprivation, solitary confinement, among other grave human rights abuses. Survivors also shared experiences of border officials aiding scam recruiters, and of threats and extortion by police.Satellite imagery and on-ground reports show that nearly three-quarters of the scam operations are in the Mekong region, which have also spread to some Pacific Island countries and South Asia, as well as Gulf States, West Africa and the Americas. “The treatment endured by individuals within the context of scam operations is alarming,” finds the report, based on interviews with survivors originating from Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Thailand, Viet Nam and Zimbabwe. They had been trafficked into scam centres in Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates between 2021 and 2025. It is also based on interviews with police and border officials, as well as civil society and others with knowledge of such operations.Victims described being lured into scamming jobs under false pretences and then being coerced into perpetrating online fraud ranging from impersonation scams, online extortion, financial fraud as well as romantic scams.The operations described are fluid, with some survivors sharing experiences of being held in immense compounds resembling self-contained towns, some over 500 acres in size, made up of heavily fortified multi-storey buildings with barbed wire-topped high walls, guarded by armed and uniformed security personnel. “A victim from Sri Lanka related how those who failed to meet monthly scamming targets were subject to immersion in water containers (known as ’water prisons’) for hours,” said the report, which updates a 2023 UN Human Rights report.“Victims also recounted being forced to witness or even conduct grave abuse of others as a means to ensure compliance; one Bangladeshi victim said that he was ordered to beat other workers and a victim from Ghana recounted being forced to watch his friend being beaten in front of him.”They told of people losing their lives as they attempted to escape, including falling from balconies and roofs in the compounds.Failed rescue attempts were also punished severely, the report finds. One Vietnamese victim described how her sister was beaten, tasered and locked in a room with no food for seven days after her sister had tried to engineer her escape.It found traffickers would video call family members to watch their loved one being abused and mistreated in order to pressure families to pay extortionate ransoms.While most victims described receiving some wages, all those interviewed by UN Human Rights experienced a range of escalating deductions and none received the entirety of the promised salary. A Thai victim reported that they were ordered to meet steep scamming targets of some $9,500 per day to avoid fines, beatings, or even being “sold” to another compound with harsher conditions.“The litany of abuse is staggering and at the same time heart-breaking,” UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said. “Yet, rather than receiving protection, care and rehabilitation as well as the pathways to justice and redress to which they are entitled, victims too often face disbelief, stigmatization and even further punishment.”“Effective responses need to be centred in human rights law and standards. Crucially, that means explicitly recognizing forced criminality within anti-trafficking laws and regulations and guaranteeing the non-punishment principle for victims of trafficking.”“Victims of such abuses require coordinated timely, safe and effective rescue operations, respect for the principle of non-refoulement, as well as available support mechanisms to ensure torture and trauma rehabilitation and address risks of reprisals or re-trafficking.”The report uniquely applies a behavioural science and systems analysis to explore why people continue to fall prey to fraudulent recruitment into scam operations and to suggest rights-based and effective prevention responses.“There must be increased availability and accessibility of safe labour migration pathways and meaningful oversight of recruitment such as verification of online job postings and flagging suspicious recruitment patterns,” Türk said.He called on States and relevant stakeholders to engage trusted and community-based actors, such as survivor-led groups, in outreach to individuals considered at risk of trafficking into scam operations. Awareness activities need to be accessible, concrete and available through trusted media.Türk also urged States and regional bodies to act effectively against corruption, which he said was deeply entrenched in such lucrative scamming operations, and to prosecute the criminal syndicates behind them. He also recalled the importance of independent media, human rights defenders and civil society organisations being able to carry out their vital anti-trafficking work free from interference.A story map is available here.ENDS For more information and media requests, please contact:In GenevaJeremy Laurence: +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org
Marta Hurtado: + 41 22 917 9466 / marta.hurtadogomez@un.org In NairobiSeif Magango : +254 78834 3897 / seif.magango@un.org

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Press Release

12 February 2026

New UNU-INRA Report on Africa Redefining Critical Minerals for a Shared Future

The report reflects on the unique opportunity across the Global South to turn solidarity into strategy, stressing the need for South-South collaboration to foster a new multilateralism built on shared knowledge, joint technological development, and collective investment. The report makes the case for bringing together the collective experiences of Africa, Latin America, and Asia to co-design solutions that shift the balance of the decarbonisation agenda and scale up green value chains.As part of UNU-INRA’s Critical Minerals Information and Knowledge Hub (C-MINK), which positions Africa at the center of global mineral governance, ensuring that the continent’s vast resources drive inclusive, green, and sustainable development, this report shows that Africa’s mineral wealth is indispensable to the global energy transition and ownership must translate into control, governance, and value creation.The report shows that, Africa holds nearly a third of the world’s critical mineral reserves, including cobalt, lithium, manganese, and copper—resources indispensable for renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, and digital infrastructure. Yet, the continent has long remained at the periphery of global value chains. With reports like this, UNU-INRA’s C-MINK initiative, aims to change this long-lived reality, by curating knowledge, fostering collaboration, and enabling Africa to define its own mineral sovereignty.By redefining “criticality”, deepening South-South solidarity, embedding justice, and strengthening governance, the report urges Africa to move from the periphery of extraction to the center of transformation. This is important because, the global revenues from copper, nickel, cobalt, and lithium could reach $16 trillion by 2050, with Sub-Saharan Africa positioned to capture over 10% of that value.Prof. Fatima Denton, (Director, UNU-INRA and Head of CMINK initiative) notes that, “mineral wealth must no longer be a paradox of abundance without prosperity, as Africa’s minerals are critical not only for the world’s decarbonisation agenda but for Africa’s own industrialization, energy security, and technological advancement.”The report advocates for African expertise to be paired with that of Latin America and Asia, building South-South partnerships that prioritise shared prosperity in the critical minerals sector. As a product of the C-MINK Initiative, the report calls for a redefined mineral order—one that prioritises justice, governance, and transformation. It argues that by embedding minerals into domestic production systems, Africa can move from being a supplier of raw materials to a driver of industrialization and innovation.In an era of fractured geopolitics and contested green transitions, Africa’s most powerful lever lies in how quickly it can test and scale new solutions within the global South. South-South collaboration offers a “southern playbook” for resource governance that could be a strategic pivot enabling green industrialization and structural transformation. The report advocates that Africa and the Global South should be at the center and not the periphery of the critical minerals dialogue and action. This south-south solidarity if done effectively will ensure that mineral wealth fuels a just, green, and inclusive future.ENDAbout C-MINKThe Critical Minerals Information and Knowledge Hub (C-MINK) is an initiative of the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA). It serves as a platform to convene policymakers, researchers, and investors, transforming knowledge into strategic foresight for Africa’s mineral governance. About UNU INRAThe UNU-INRA was established in 1985 in accordance with a draught resolution adopted at the 21st ordinary session of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to demonstrate to African Governments and institutions the central role of science, infrastructure, and innovation in promoting natural resources governance and development in Africa while serving as a preeminent institute delivering science for practice.

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Press Release

22 December 2025

UNU-INRA and other Implementing Partners, Develop and Facilitate the Gazetting of New By-laws on Natural Resource Management in the Atewa West District.

Over the past 3 years, UNU-INRA and UNEP together with other development partners including UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, CSOs, OEF, A Rocha-Ghana, Forestry Commission-Wildlife Division (WD), Atiwa West District Assembly, Government ministries, Agencies and traditional authorities, collaborated to provide capacity building training workshops on sustainable ways of addressing key interconnected challenges, on environmental degradation in the Okyeman area. The capacity building programmes were geared towards addressing economic, environmental, political, educational, nutrition, and health insecurities through a human security approach.UNU-INRA (United Nations University-Institute of Natural Resources in Africa)’s major role, together with Forestry Commission-Wildlife Division, Okyeman Environmental Foundation and A-Rocha Ghana was to organise a series of capacity building workshops, (held in 8 communities), on legal frameworks for natural resource (water, wildlife, minerals, forest, land) management, sustainable agriculture, ecology and monitoring protocols for forests as well as identifying natural resource enterprises and value chains to improve livelihoods of the community. UNU-INRA supported by the Atewa West district assembly and community leaders then developed a CREMA by-law, which went through the necessary processes for gazetting.In 2025, this key achievement of influencing laws for the Atewa West District, is notable because, it encompasses the work of UNU-INRA, whose objective is to bridge the gap between science and policy, by promoting sustainable development through natural resource governance that is sensitive to climate change.This extensive, inclusive and collaborative work between development partners, the Okyeman foundation, local community members and leaders of the Atewa West District, has been remarkable in that, this partnership has resulted in a local governance structure backed by by-law, to complement the efforts in protecting water bodies, forests and reclaiming degraded lands.Over the years, Ghana’s government has made several attempts to address the issues around natural resource depletion. One of such current initiatives is the employment of Blue Water Guards, to protect natural resources (water bodies). Though applaudable, empowering local communities to steward their natural resources is key.There have also been institutional efforts around to coordinate multi-agency efforts in stopping illegal mining like the work of NAIMOS: The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat. Though admirable, the work of such institutions must involve local community members and leaders because, these groups are more knowledgeable about their resources and may be best in assisting the government in properly planning and implementing Natural resource management initiatives.Till date, the issue of national resource management has remained a “government fight”. This inter-developmental human security approach and collaboration with the CREMA, provides a new and more efficient way of fighting this natural resource depletion battle. Prior to Project FOREST Okyeman, some locals and community leaders were not aware of the importance of biodiversity, rules around mining and water bodies and the importance of stewarding surrounding natural resources. This project has been an eye opener to community members and leaders who were for a long time ignorant about their stewarding power and the importance of preserving their natural resources for economic empowerment. Learning, knowing and understanding the contents of these newly gazetted natural resource management by-laws and the importance of preserving these natural resources, as well as the effects of depleting the environment on future generations, has empowered the Atewa West District community members, to fight natural resource degradation such as illegal mining, pollution of water bodies and deforestation.ENDAbout UNU INRAThe UNU-INRA was established in 1985 in accordance with a draught resolution adopted at the 21st ordinary session of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to demonstrate to African Governments and institutions the central role of science, infrastructure, and innovation in promoting natural resources governance and development in Africa while serving as a preeminent institute delivering science for practice.The United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA) is one of the 14 research and training institutes of the United Nations University (UNU). With the head office in Ghana a network of five operating units in Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Namibia and Zambia, UNU-INRA bridges the gap between science and natural resources management policies in Africa. UNU-INRA’s mandate is to contribute to the sustainable development of Africa’s natural resources in a way that maintains the quality of the natural environment and transforms lives. INRA harnesses African talent and empower African researchers, entrepreneurs and policymakers with knowledge to sustainably manage the continent’s natural resources.

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