The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations’ sexual and reproductive health agency, has invited the media to scrutinise its partnerships and hold it to account for results in Ghana.
Speaking at the UNFPA Media Forum at the Ministry of Finance Conference Room in Kanda, Accra on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Dr. Wilfred Ochan, Country Representative of the UNFPA Ghana, said journalists should question whether UNFPA’s partnerships are producing results and whether they are reaching those who need support.
Dr. Ochan said UNFPA does not want praise from the media, but honest scrutiny of its work, its partnerships and its impact on communities.
He urged journalists to ask whether UNFPA is listening to communities, what it could do better, and what it should do differently.
“We want you to ask questions: Are the partnerships producing results? Are we reaching those who need support? Are we listening to the communities we work with? What could we do better?” Dr. Ochan said.
He was delivering the keynote address on the theme: “Beyond the Headlines: Partnership, Trust and Ghana’s Development Story.”
Dr. Ochan said the media occupies a unique position in Ghana’s development. “As journalists, you connect policy to people. You ask whether partnerships are producing results. You help bring overlooked issues and voices into the national conversations,” he said.
He said UNFPA does not expect journalists to promote the organisation. “We do not expect you to become the publicity arm of UNFPA. That is not your responsibility,” he said.
Instead, he asked journalists to speak freely and challenge the Fund. “Tell us what you think we should be doing differently. Tell us what you are hearing from the people you serve and help us understand where we can communicate better,” he said.
Dr. Ochan said partnership is central to UNFPA’s work, but it is not simply about signing agreements or attending events together. “It is about what we can achieve together that we could not achieve alone,” he said.
He said no institution can bring about lasting change on its own. “Certainly not UNFPA,” he said. “We may bring technical expertise, policy advice, normative standards, convening power, evidence and international experience. But Ghana brings its own leadership, institutions, knowledge, culture and understanding of what its people need.”
He said UNFPA’s partnership is built around listening, local ownership and respect for Ghana’s social and cultural context.
Dr. Ochan said UNFPA’s commitment to Ghana is measured by tangible outcomes that improve the lives of women, girls and young people, supported by national leadership.
He pointed to work in maternal health and family planning, adolescent and youth development, population evidence, ending child marriage and raising awareness on gender-based violence.
On accountability, he asked: “Are our efforts making a difference where it matters most, in people’s lives: in saving lives, protecting people, creating or expanding opportunities anchored in institutional systems for purpose of sustainability and scale-up?”
He said accountability requires institutional transparency, respect for culture and active listening, and communities must be active participants in shaping solutions rather than passive beneficiaries.
Dr. Ochan also urged journalists to report with accuracy, dignity and independence. “Go beyond the headlines, verify the facts, protect the privacy and dignity of those involved, particularly survivors of violence and vulnerable young people, and above all, remain independent,” he said.
He called for a relationship with the media based on access, evidence, trust and honest engagement, not only engagement when there is a programme to launch.
“We welcome your voice, because ultimately, what matters is not how well we tell the story of our work, but the difference that work makes in people’s lives,” Dr. Ochan further said.
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