UNDP Launches Enabling Environment For Philanthropy Report

The SDG Philanthropy Platform of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched a report to bring to the fore a comprehensive overview of philanthropy in the country.

The report examines the state of giving in Ghana, what factors affect it, what guides the decision-making of philanthropic organizations, and how indigenous philanthropic culture and emerging forms could be harnessed to support local development.

It has provided a number of recommendations on how the government can create an enabling environment for philanthropy.

Speaking at the ceremony in Accra, the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah said Government is committed to work with the appropriate government agencies, the SDG Philanthropy Platform-UNDP, the Philanthropy and Impact Investors Network Ghana, Social Enterprise Ghana, Reach for Change and all stakeholders to create an enabling environment for philanthropy in Ghana.

He noted that supporting growth of indigenous philanthropy is an important element in building Ghana beyond aid. Philanthropy leadership to support social innovations is critical in Ghana achieving the SDGs and building prosperous and inclusive society.

Mr. Ahenkorah indicated that Foundations contributed about $500m towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in Ghana and the trend is expected to increase with the more ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He added that however, Philanthropy is not only about funding, it is also patient capital, support to social innovations and technical expertise that are important assets to foster social progress.

“We at the Ministry of Trade and Industry is aware of the catalytic role philanthropy can play in supporting social entrepreneurship. Indeed, to get foundations to support not only social progress but foster social entrepreneurship, there is the need to create an enabling environment for philanthropy which this Ministry and the government is committed to push,” he stated.

Mr. Ahenkorah added that the need to create to create an enabling environment for philanthropy is already captured in the manifesto of the NPP for the 2016 election.

“We articulated that “creating the enabling legislative and economic environment for philanthropy to blossom and promote new era of giving………...”In this regard, this report is in convergence with the thinking of government to create the required environment for philanthropy to foster the needed partnerships and collaborations for development,” he posited.

According to him, Government in the coming weeks will commit to review elements in the recommendations in the report such as registration of philanthropy.

“The Ministry has already worked with partners on Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Enterprise frameworks, therefore taking the leadership role in advancing the enabling environment for philanthropy would be a worthwhile undertaking because of its synergy with social entrepreneurship and the broader social sector,” he intimated.

The UNDP Country Director (a.i.), Gita Honwana Welch said the launch of this report is an important step in identifying bottlenecks to stimulate public policy actions to encourage emergence of new and structured forms of philanthropy. It helps to identify challenges that prevent philanthropy from maximizing their contributions to development.

She indicated that they expect this report to be an important pathway for philanthropy to work with government towards and should become an advocacy tool in stakeholder engagement with government.

“The UN remains committed to work with philanthropic organizations, both local and global; government and all relevant stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the SDGs,” Mrs Welch stated.

According to her, since the launch of the SDG Philanthropy Platform in Ghana almost three years ago, the issue of enabling environment for philanthropy in Ghana has been a recurring priority issue in both public and private discussions with stakeholders.

She added that although Ghana has a philanthropic environment that is characterized as relatively free, there is little structural or regulatory support for philanthropic actors, according to the Index of Philanthropic Freedom by the Hudson Institute.

Gita Honwana Welch indicated that Ghana’s vibrant culture of personal giving, the framework for organized giving is less fully developed. Presently, philanthropy and charitable entities are treated as NGOs, muddling the differences between the two.

According to her, philanthropic organizations are supposed to register as companies limited by guarantee or as trust. As a result, it is difficult to measure the nature and extent of organized giving and other corporate philanthropy engagements to facilitate collaborations and impact.

She intimated that lack of data inhibits an understanding of the important contributions of the sector to development of the country.

“It is because of this and the need to trigger the necessary discourse with government and stakeholders towards crafting conducive environment for philanthropy that the SDG philanthropy Platform-UNDP commissioned the Enabling environment for Philanthropy in Ghana,” she posited.