A qualitative exploration of the impact of social protection on maternal and child health in Ghana

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to work with the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection on a research project examining the effects of a national cash transfer program on maternal and child health. The program provides beneficiaries with a bi-monthly cash payment, and our goal was to evaluate whether this support enabled mothers to provide adequately for their entire families, especially in terms of food, healthcare access, and the overall well-being of themselves and their children.

Before beginning fieldwork, we met with ministry officials to better understand the program from a structural and policy perspective. This initial engagement allowed us to see how the government conceptualizes and implements social protection measures, including how resources are distributed, monitored, and evaluated. With this foundation, we then traveled to three rural districts, where each of us conducted in-depth interviews with 15 women raising children under the age of five.

These conversations provided critical insight into how the cash transfers affected mothers’ ability to care not only for their young children but also for the broader needs of their households. Many mothers described how they prioritized spending on food, school-related costs, and hospital visits, while also navigating the tension between immediate necessities and longer-term stability. Since many of the communities spoke Twi and other local languages, we worked with translators. This meant paying close attention to cultural cues and body language, which often revealed more than words alone about the mothers’ experiences.

Comparing what we learned from the ministry with what we heard from mothers gave us a clearer picture of the program’s impact. While the government focused on budgets and coverage, the mothers showed us the daily struggle of stretching limited funds to care for their families. Seeing both sides highlighted the promise of cash transfers, but also the need for policies that better match the realities of the people they serve.