The contributions of international organisations towards socio-economic development: the experience of UNICEF in the Northern Region of Ghana

This study aims to analyze the contributions of International Organizations (IOs), particularly UNICEF towards the socioeconomic development of the Northern Region of Ghana. The researchers used socio-economic development as a conceptual framework to guide the analysis. It utilizes qualitative design and draws information from primary and secondary sources using in-depth interviews with 65 participants from relevant organizations within the sectors where UNICEF works. Additionally, secondary sources of datasets related to the topic were generated from the UNICEF website, archives, the Country office in Accra, and the University of Ghana library. The study established that UNICEF has contributed so much to the socio-economic development of the Northern Region of Ghana, particularly in the areas of education, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), social protection and child protection. Based on these findings, the researchers conclude that the programs that were implemented by UNICEF between 2010–2020 have contributed to enhancing the socio-economic development to help the well-being of the people in the Northern Region of Ghana. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.