In November 2011, STAR-Ghana put out a call for proposals for Election 2012 on the theme: CONSOLIDATING GHANA'S DEMOCRACY THROUGH TRANSPARENT, FREE AND PEACEFUL 2012 ELECTIONS: THE ROLE OF CSOs and other Non-State Actors. This call invited registered Ghanaian civil society organisations to undertake activities that will enhance transparency, fairness and peace in the 2012 elections. The overall goal of this initiative is to guarantee a transparent and peaceful election devoid of intimidation and conflicts.
The call received 236 expressions of interests under the competitive window, out of which 152 applicants were shortlisted and invited to go through the application process. 98 applications were subsequently received out of which 45 applicants were awarded grants.
Under the non-competive window (strategic opportunities), 9 civil society organisations were invited to submit proposals for specific projects.
Related projects
STAR Ghana Foundation hosts fellows from Ford Foundation
On 24th May 2021, fellows from the Ford Foundation and the Kenyan Community Development Foundation visited the STAR-Ghana Foundation.
Their visit was to acquaint themselves to appreciate the evolution of STAR Ghana and how as a foundation, STAR Ghana is influencing civic space in Ghana. The Executive Director gave an overview of the transition from the STAR-Ghana Programme to the now STAR-Ghana Foundation. He highlighted the distinct role that the Foundation plays now- as a national coordinator for civil society and as a national promoter of active citizenship.
The nuances in the donor landscape and how it should influence civil society leaders wasalso discussed. Using the Kenya Community Development Foundation experiences, Janet Mawiyoo shared the KCDF implementing experience on building alternative non-profit resourcing.
The 2021 Cohorts of the Non-profit Leadership Transition Fellowship (NLTFP) presented to the Foundation, a certificate of appreciation.
Fellows were grateful for the sharing experience and looked forward to more interactions.
STAR Ghana Foundation appoints Prof. Takyiwaa Manuh as a safeguarding trustee
STAR-Ghana Foundation has appointed Professor Takyiwaa Manuh as the organisation’s safeguarding trustee in accordance with the update of the safeguarding policy. Her appointment is as a result of the Foundation’s commitment to ensuring a safe working environment for staff, partners and clients.
Rationale for the Safeguarding policy
The STAR Ghana Foundation’s Safeguarding Policy is implemented as a measure to prevent and respond to instances of abuse and harm that might be occurring as a result of the Foundation’s work. It provides common rules, regulations and principles, and a strategy as a guiding document to staff and partners. The policy has been developed in line with international best practices, including the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) and the International Agency Standing Committee core principles on sexual, abuse exploitation and harassment. The policy also adheres to national policies and laws, including the Children’s Act and Disability Act, Domestic Violence Act.
Who can report?
This Safeguarding Policy is intended to inform all Foundation activities, and the actions and behaviour of all associated with the Foundation – including staff, partners, representatives, beneficiaries, third parties and the communities the Foundation engages.
How to Report? Contact details.
Email: TManuh@star-ghana.org safeguarding-stargh@star-ghana.org safeguardingtruste-stargh@star-ghana.org
Professor Takyiwaa Manuh, safeguarding trustee of the STAR-Ghana Foundation is an academic with a long-standing relationship with international development and civil society. She is an Emerita Professor of the University of Ghana and was previously Director, Social Development Policy Division, of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from February 2014 to May 2017. Before joining the ECA, she had been Professor of African Studies at the University of Ghana, where she also served as Director of the Institute of African Studies from 2002-2009. She has received several awards and recognitions including the University of Ghana’s Meritorious Service Award in 2007; Ghana’s Order of the Volta (Officer Class) for services to education in 2008; and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Sussex in 2015. She is a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and is also currently a member of the GAAS Council. In addition, she has served as a member of several international, continental, and national organizations and bodies including the Board of the Institute for Development Studies (IDS), the UK; the Board of the Society for International Development (SID; the Scientific Committee of the Association of African Universities (AAU), the Chair of the Scientific Committee of CODESRIA, Dakar; , the Governing Board of UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), the Board of the African Gender Institute Board, the Steering Committee of the South-South Exchange Program on the History of Development (SEPHIS), the Steering Committee of NETRIGHT, Chair of ABANTU for Development’s Board, and member of the board of the Media Foundation for West Africa. Professor Takyiwaa Manuh published widely in the areas of African development; gender, women’s rights, and empowerment; higher education; and contemporary African migrations.
Refer to the Safeguarding Policy: https://star-ghana.org/learning-2/publications-and-resources/manuals-strategies-frameworks/150-star-ghana-foundation-safeguarding-policy/file
Adelaide Addo-Fenning, appointed as the 3rd party Whistle-blowing Trustee
Mrs. Adelaide Addo-Fening has been appointed by the Governing Council of STAR Ghana Foundation as the 3rd party Whistle-blowing trustee of the Foundation.
PROFILE OF ADELAIDE ADDO-FENING
Adelaide Addo-Fening is an International Development specialist consultant with 25 years’ experience working across Ghana and globally. The primary focus of her work has been on Social and Public Policy, Institutional Development and Civil Society Strengthening. Within these broad areas, she has worked extensively on programmes that strengthen social sectors, such as Health and Education; advocate for good governance and promote Inclusive Development approaches.
More recently, until October 2020, she worked in the Oil and Gas sector as Team Leader for the Ghana Oil and Gas for Inclusive Growth (GOGIG) Programme, a UK government funded programme aimed at supporting Ghana to maximize the benefits from the petroleum industry.
Prior to joining GOGIG in 2015, she held the position of International Programmes Director for Sightsavers International, a UK based charity, and was responsible for overseeing the organization’s work in 33 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. She also worked previously as West and Central Africa Regional Director for VSO, (also a UK based charity), after serving as Ghana Country Director for the same organization. In 2004, Adelaide was awarded an Honorary OBE (Officer of the British Empire) by the Queen in recognition of her contributions in VSO.
Adelaide is a trustee of the STAR Ghana Foundation, having served previously on the steering committee of the STAR Ghana Programme. She is member of the School Management Committee of the University of Ghana Business School and a founding member of an NGO, the Centre for Civic Development and Empowerment. She has previously served as Director of the International Council for Education of the Visually Impaired (ICEVI), board member of Sightsavers Ireland and member of steering/governing committees of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) Rights and Voice Initiative Fund (RAVI), World Bank Small Grants Programme. United Way Ghana and Common Purpose Ghana.
Adelaide serves in the Kingdom of God as Leader of the Women’s Ministry at Agape House New Testament Church where she worships, and as co-convener of Mothers Pray Global, a platform to enlighten, encourage, equip, and empower mothers to stand in prayer for children.
She is a Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative and holds a master’s degree in Democracy, Governance and Law and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Arabic.
Adelaide is married to John Addo-Fening, and they have three children, Andre, Nana Ekua and Ewurama.
Rationale for the Whistleblowing Policy
This policy is primarily for concerns or disclosures where the interest of others or of STAR-Ghana Foundation is at risk. Such concerns or disclosures are ones that the individual(s) raising the concern reasonably believes tend to show that one or more of the following matters is either happening now, took place in the past, or is likely to happen in the future:
- a criminal offence
- physical, sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment
- the breach of a legal obligation
- a miscarriage of justice
- a danger to the health and safety of any individual
- damage to the environment
- deliberate concealment of information tending to show any of the above five matters.
The policy provides an alternative route for raising staff concerns if they do not feel able to raise it through normal line management channels or the worker raising the issue feels that it is sufficiently serious to escalate because there has been no progress in addressing the issue through line management.
Who can report?
STAR-Ghana Foundation staff/partner/community who become aware of any type of offence, captured under this policy, on the part of colleagues, senior officers or others, or who have serious concerns about malpractice, sexual violence theft or fraud which might adversely affect STAR-Ghana Foundation’s business or reputation or might otherwise put at risk the health or safety of anyone.
Contact Details: AAddo@star-ghana.org whistleblowing-stargh@star-ghana.org
