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Joseph Kobla Wemakor

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Joseph Kobla Wemakor
BornMay 6
Alma materGhana Institute of Journalism
OccupationJournalist
Years active2010–present
OrganizationHuman Rights Reporters Ghana
Known forHuman rights activism and SDG advocacy
Websitehumanrightsreportersgh.org

Joseph Kobla Wemakor is a Ghanaian freelance journalist, youth leader, Sustainable Development Goals advocate (the Convenor of Civil Society Organizations Youth Sub-Platform on SDGs in Ghana), a trained climate change proponent and human rights activist. He is also the Head of Media and Communications of the Ghana Chapter of the PLO Lumumba Foundation and the Public Relations Officer of the Greater Accra Regional Youth Network (GARYN). In the African Network of Young Leaders for Peace and Sustainable Development, he is the National Focus Person of the taskforce in Ghana. In line with his passion as a human rights advocate, he set up Human Rights Reporters Ghana. This is a non-governmental organization which seeks to end human rights abuse against women and children both within and out of Ghana. He has worked with the United Nations Information Centre, the United Nations Population Fund, and others.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

Human Rights Reporters Ghana is a non-governmental organization whose aim is to rid society of discrimination and advocate for human rights, especially for women and children.[9] The non-governmental organization embarked on a nationwide campaign to create awareness of the dangers of kidnapping, tramadol abuse and teenage pregnancy.[10] Within two years, over 60,000 people in three regions across Ghana benefited from the sensitization exercise.[11] [1]

Role in PLO Lumumba Foundation

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The PLO Lumumba Foundation is a Non-Governmental Organization that was registered in 1990 as a company limited by guarantee. It was established by Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, a Kenyan lawyer and human rights advocate, with the objective of helping make the academic dreams of brilliant but needy students become a reality. Joseph Wemakor became the Deputy Head of Media and Communications of the Ghana chapter of the foundation in February 2019 and head in 2020.[9][7]

Climate change advocacy

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In October 2019, he was part of 19 journalists who were selected from all over Africa to receive skills training and knowledge about climate change in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The training program was organized by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in collaboration with the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Future Climate for Africa (FCFA).[2]

Human rights promotion

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In July 2022 Human Rights Reporters Ghana investigated and exposed an abuse issue in Ampaame in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. A seven-year-old girl was beaten, tied up and starved, for stealing a biscuit according to witness accounts. Their publicity of the situation got public attention, which resulted in the intervention by authorities to rescue the girl.[12][13]

In 2024, Joseph Kobla Wemakor was invited by the United Nations Special Rapporteur to participate in the Pan Africa Human Rights and Social Justice Conference held in South Africa. The conference focused on addressing critical human rights and social justice issues across the continent, showcasing Wemakor's dedication to advocating for justice and equality.[2]

Earlier that year, he was selected to join the "Fortifying the Truth" Cohort, an initiative by WITNESS, a global human rights organization. This program equips participants with skills in digital verification and video-based advocacy to counter misinformation and document human rights violations effectively. Wemakor's involvement in these international initiatives highlights his contributions to advancing human rights both in Ghana and globally. [3]

Awards and recognition

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He was awarded for being the winner of the 2018 media competition on migration reporting.[14] At the Ghana Institute of Journalism, he was the most influential media personnel during the first edition of the Campus Clique Awards in April 2016.[15] In October 2019 he was awarded for a report he put together that gives insight into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This competition was in commemoration of the Ghana Institute of Journalism's 60th anniversary.[16] In October 2020, he was featured in the international Business Woman Magazine based in Ukraine, with an update on upholding women's rights after the lockdown.[17] The Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HHRG) was among the top 10 finalists for the 2020 Africans Rising Activism Award under the Movement of the Year category.[18]

Joseph Kobla Wemakor

He won the Honorary Award for Peace, Security & Education of the Year at the maiden edition of the Africa Early Childhood Awards (AECEA) in 2021.[19][20] He received a nomination for the Send Ghana Health Reporters Award in Epidemic Preparedness Response Financing.[21] He emerged finalist for the 2023 AfricanDefenders Shield Awards by the AfricanDefenders held in Addis Ababa.[22][23]

In Costa Rica, Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) won the "Best International Practice Award on Sustainability" presented at the Global Entreps Awards. The award was presented to HRRG and its founder Joseph Kobla Wemakor by Entreps-International Board of Global Actors and Business for Sustainability in partnership with UN.[24][25]

Wemakor was honored with the Africa Peace Advocate Award by the International Association of World Peace Advocates in recognition of his contributions to peacebuilding.[26][27]

In 2024, Joseph Kobla Wemakor, the executive director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), was recognized with the Global Humanitarian and Ministerial Excellence Award for his contributions to human rights advocacy and social impact. In the same year, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the International Kingdom University in Margate, Florida, USA, in acknowledgment of his remarkable achievements.[4][5]

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References

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  1. ^ "GIJ 60th Anniv. Media Contest: Human Rights Reporters' Joseph Wemakor wins prestigious SDGs award". The Ghana Guardian News. Archived from the original on 21 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Nineteen African Journalists build capacity on Climate Change". ghananewsagency.org. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  3. ^ "Joseph Wemakor elected PRO of Greater Accra Regional Youth Network". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  4. ^ Quartey, Daniel (10 February 2019). "Ghanaian journalist gets top post at PLO Lumumba Foundation". Yen.com.gh - Ghana news. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Greater Accra Regional Youth Network holds first AGM". Graphic Online. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  6. ^ "2020 High-Level Political Forum on SDGs: World leaders urged to take advantage of COVID-19 to scale-up implementation of SDGs". NewsGhana24. 19 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  7. ^ a b "PLO Lumumba Foundation Ghana to hold 1st ever 'General Membership Meeting' via zoom slated for August 15". NewsGhana24. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  8. ^ "Election 2020: Let all our efforts, actions geared towards promoting peace-Joseph Wemakor". NewsGhana24. 28 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Joseph Wemakor appointed to PLO Lumumba Foundation role". 3news. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  10. ^ "Ghana sinks with kidnappings; loses hope of finding the missing Takoradi girls - Joseph Wemakor". Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  11. ^ News Desk (4 January 2021). "Saving lives, contributing to achieving SDGs; the success story of Human Rights Reporters Ghana | News Ghana". newsghana.com.gh/. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  12. ^ "HRRG investigation reveals cause of gruesome torture of 17-year-old girl by father". News Ghana. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  13. ^ "HRRG goes global with a success story on a rescue of a tortured child". News Ghana. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  14. ^ "Joseph Wemakor adjudged winner of '2018 media competition on migration reporting'". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  15. ^ "Joseph Wemakor adjudged GIJ's most influential student". tv3network.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  16. ^ "GIJ awards Joseph Wemakor". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  17. ^ "Human Rights Reporters Ghana boss gets featured on International Glossy Magazine". News Ghana. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  18. ^ "Human Rights Reporters' Ghana up for 2020 Africans Rising Activism Award". The Ghana Guardian News. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  19. ^ "Full list of winners of the prestigious Africa Early Childhood Education Awards 2021". GhanaWeb. 15 November 2021. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  20. ^ "Full List: Winners of the prestigious Africa Early Childhood Education Awards 2021". The Ghana Guardian News. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  21. ^ "GNA editor wins SEND Ghana journalist award". Ghana Education News. 24 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  22. ^ "Joseph Wemakor: acclaimed Ghanaian human rights defender named finalist of the 2023 AfricanDefenders Shields Awards - NewsGhana24". newsghana24.com. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  23. ^ "HRRG Executive Director emerges finalist for the prestigious AfricanDefenders Shield Awards 2023".
  24. ^ "Human Rights Reporters Ghana Wins Global Entreps Award for Sustainability in Costa Rica". Ghana Education News. 24 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  25. ^ Dayspring, The (31 July 2023). "Ghanaian NGO HRRG Receives Top UN Global Entreps Award for Advocacy Excellence". The Dayspring | Youth Centric Newspaper of Pakistan. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  26. ^ GNA (24 September 2023). "IAWPA honours Joseph Wemakor for excellence in peacebuilding". Ghana News Agency. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  27. ^ MG Digital (24 September 2023). "IAWPA honours over 30 outstanding Ghanaian advocates at 2023 Africa Peace Advocates Awards".
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