Category: News

The International Association of World Peace Advocates (IAWPA) has proclaimed Joseph Kobla Wemakor as one of its recipients of the prestigious Africa Peace Advocate Awards 2023. 

He was recognized among over 30 exceptional Ghanaian individuals who have dedicated themselves to promoting peace in their communities and beyond.

Known for his remarkable endeavours and continuous efforts in the direction of maintaining and extending peace in Africa, Wemakor has now been duly recognized and acclaimed globally.

Joseph Kobla Wemakor is a renowned Ghanaian peace activist, dedicated humanitarian, and influential journalist. He is also the founder and executive director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), an NGO committed to fighting for the rights of marginalized groups in society.

Acknowledged for his virtue of deep conviction for peace, Wemakor has consistently initiated and led movements towards selfless service and goodwill undertakings.

The IAWPA’s newly granted honour signifies a landmark and colossal achievement in Wemakor’s relentless journey of fostering peace and understanding among communities.

The effort dedicated by Wemakor in peace advocacy across Africa and beyond has been enormous and of profound significance.

With his robust journalistic background, he has used words as his tool to mould, shape, and inspire the minds of the masses.

Wemakor believes in the sanctity of the pen as a force that combats situations of conflict, unrest, and animosity prevalent in numerous African communities.

The Africa Peace Advocate Awards, a headline initiative from IAWPA, has been instrumental in recognizing peace advocates who have made exceptional contributions to promote peace and harmony. The award encapsulates the very spirit of humanity and acknowledges the relentless efforts of peace advocates worldwide.

Wemakor’s recognition by IAWPA underscores his persistent work, including formulating and implementing strategies and programs for conflict resolution, promoting peaceful co-existence, and empowering the youth towards progressive and peaceful journeys. More than just an honour, this award is a testament to his continued dedication towards creating a harmonious and peaceful African society.

This award brings the total number of notable honors received by Wemakor this year to three. The Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network, based in Kampala, Uganda, was the first organization to be moved by his extraordinary accomplishments and nominated him on February 17, 2023, for the prestigious AfricanDefenders Shield Award, which honors people who work to advance and defend human rights in Africa.

On July 15, 2023, the Entreps, International Board of Global Actors, and Business for Sustainability in Costa Rica gave him, along with his platform, the most prestigious 5th UN Global Entreps Awards for their outstanding contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This was followed by widespread recognition.

Prior to that, his relentless advocacy work had been acknowledged, which led to the selection of his platform, the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), as one of the 10 finalists for the 2020 Africans Rising Activism Awards’ Movement of the Year Award.  The only group to represent Ghana on the continent was HRRG, which placed fourth in the finals.

Again, on November 13, 2021, he received an honorary award for peace, security, and education from the Transformational Empowerment and Rural Integration Africa Foundation, an NGO, at the inaugural Africa Early Education Award (AECEA) ceremony for his outstanding work on peacebuilding initiatives across the continent.

His excellence in human rights advocacy and defence was recognized by a global media outlet, “Business Woman Magazine,” based in Ukraine, on October 17, 2020.  He was chosen to be featured in its glossy pages alongside a number of notable individuals, diplomats, activists, and business leaders who have an impact on lives on a global level.

The IAWPA’s high commendation for the Human Rights Reporters Ghana’s boss equally highlights its commitment to acknowledging outstanding individuals striving to maintain peace.

The Association aims to foster global peace and harmony through interdisciplinary and cross-cultural communication. By acknowledging peace defenders like Joseph Kobla Wemakor, the IAWPA hopes to inspire many others to take up the mantle of peace advocacy in their respective societies.

In accepting the impressive honour from the United Nations Eminent Peace Ambassador and Country Director for the International Association of World Peace Advocates, Dr. Samuel Ben Owusu, the humble peace advocate emphasized that the recognition would further invigorate his objectives and dedication towards realizing a peaceful and united Africa.

His vision, characterized by relentless optimism, revolves around seeing a continent free from conflict, where every individual lives in harmony and peace.

The Africa Peace Advocate Awards 2023 offers a felicitous platform for champions of peace like Joseph Kobla Wemakor. Notably, it underscores their significance in harmonizing and consolidating peace in the African continent and the wider world in general.

It is the hope that this honour will inspire younger generations to contribute towards creating an environment of peace and co-existence.

The unwavering efforts and endeavours of peace advocates like Wemakor are indeed commendable and noteworthy.

The Africa Peace Advocate Awards and IAWPA’s honour of Wemakor is a step towards acknowledging such unyielding efforts.

His actions and contributions are a beacon of hope and a reminder that upholding peace, much like justice, is a collective effort that should be honored and celebrated.

Source:Modernghana.com

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Human Rights Reporters Ghana, Joseph Kobla Wemakor has been nominated for the prestigious Africa Peace Advocate Awards (APAA) slated for September 21, 2023, at the Pottersville Church Conference Hall in East Legon Hills, Santoe, Accra.

The news comes as a testament to his exceptional contributions to peacebuilding, human rights advocacy, and unprecedented efforts to promote the wellbeing of marginalized populations in Ghana and across the Africa continent.

Joseph Kobla Wemakor joins an esteemed league of distinguished individuals recognized for their significant achievements in peace advocacy.

APAA aims to honor individuals and organizations that have made considerable contributions to peacekeeping, conflict resolution, and human rights advocacy across Africa.

Closer to home, Wemakor has earned respect and acclaim as a relentless human rights advocate in Ghana.

Through Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), his non-profit, media and human rights advocacy organization, Wemakor has led and been a part of local and international initiatives that disrupt patterns of human rights abuses, nurture peace, and promote respect for human dignity.

Notably, HRRG’s campaigns have significantly raised awareness of human rights and propelled social change, thereby securing Wemakor a place among Ghana’s most influential human rights advocates.

Wemakor’s admirable efforts to stop child abuse and kidnapping are among his most prominent projects. He has developed and led a campaign to inform the public about the risks and severe repercussions of such acts while simultaneously working to support the victims of these atrocities.

In the year 2020, he launched a powerful media advocacy campaign on the issue of human rights violations in South Korea during the time of the first COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in Lee Man-hee, an 89-year-old man who is the founder and head of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus Christ, a growing minority and ‘unpopular’ church in Korea, being released from detention.

For his suspected involvement in concealing information from the South Korean government and authorities concerning church members, which they felt was detrimental to the effort to combat the pandemic, Mr. Lee was used as a scapegoat and wrongfully arrested and incarcerated.

Additionally, Wemakor’s influence extends beyond the borders of Ghana through his contributions to international dialogues on peace and human rights.

He makes regular appearances at high-level UN meetings and conferences, where he shares his insights on peacebuilding and highlights the urgent need to safeguard human rights across the globe.

Being nominated for the Africa Peace Advocate Awards is another significant milestone in Wemakor’s illustrious career.

This recognition provides proof of his continuous commitment to peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and the fundamental principles of human rights.

It also spurs him and his team at HRRG to further their work in transforming societies and fostering environments where human rights are not only respected but upheld as an utmost priority.

Despite the ongoing challenges in the fight for peace and human rights advocacy, Wemakor’s nomination signals hope for the future.

It echoes the message that changemakers like him continue to fight for a world where everyone can live without fear of oppression or violence, and enjoy their rights fully.

As the continent watches to witness this prestigious award ceremony in 2023, the nomination of Wemakor for the Africa Peace Advocate Awards has already elevated the narrative for peace and human rights advocacy in Africa.

It serves as a reminder to everyone that despite the challenges faced, hope remains, and progress is possible with dedication and concerted effort.

Joseph Kobla Wemakor’s nomination sends a powerful message across Ghana, Africa, and to the rest of the world- that tireless efforts to advocate for peace, protect human rights, and champion the cause of the less fortunate do not go unnoticed.

It further inspires individuals and organizations to keep advancing the cause of peace and human rights, not only in Africa but also on the global stage.

Source:humanrightsreporters.com

Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) is making waves in the global space following a remarkable achievement at the 5th United Nations (UN) Global Entreps Awards.

The organization’s Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Kobla Wemakor, appeared on Metro TV’s ‘Morning Rush’ to discuss this landmark achievement and future aspirations on Thursday August 17.

Wemakor noted that the organization’s primary mission was to protect, promote, and enhance human rights, particularly among the vulnerable class, including women, children, and the marginalized, in Ghana.

As a non-profit organization, Human Rights Reporters Ghana has been at the front-line tackling issues such as kidnapping, child abuse, and gender-based violence. It is this commitment to human rights advocacy that resulted in HRRG being honored globally.

The 5th UN Global Entreps Awards recognized the exceptional contributions made by the Human Rights Reporters Ghana towards the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDGs are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere.

The awards are designed to honor and encourage individuals, organizations, projects and initiatives that have contributed significantly to achieving these goals.

Human Rights Reporters Ghana bagged the award in Best International Practice on Sustainability category for its Nationwide Sensitization Campaign on Kidnapping, Teenage Pregnancy and Tramadol/Drug Abuse (‘KTT Project’).

The organization was honoured for its commitment to combating kidnapping, teenage pregnancy and substance abuse in Ghana’s schools, communities, PTA’s and churches, and its work ensuring that women, children, particularly girls, are protected.

In an interview with Metro TV’s Morning Rush host Nana Yaa Tanoah Boakye, Wemakor expressed gratitude for the recognition and dedicated the win to the entire nation.

“This award is for Ghana and gives us more motivation to keep doing what we do,” Wemakor said. “Our main concern is to enhance the lives of the people we are serving, and winning this award reiterates the importance of our work”.

The discussion, initially was aimed at addressing the recent instances of human rights violation in Ghana as well as exposing steps taken by the HRRG to ensure justice for the victims.

Wemakor further addressed future strategies for the organization. He noted that HRRG would increase its efforts to cover the sixteen (16) regions of Ghana focusing on remote communities, educating them about their human rights, and provide avenues to report violations.

He also emphasized on exploring partnerships to empower more children and called on government, civil society organizations (CSOs), International organizations, benevolent institutions and well-wishers including other stakeholders to come on board and assist the Human Rights Reporters Ghana to achieve its objectives.

The 5th UN Global Entreps Awards saw participation from over 126 countries with nominations in various categories such as clean water and sanitation, clean energy, decent work, and economic growth. The awards were held in San Jose de Costa Rica (Central America).

The recognition of Human Rights Reporters Ghana at this global platform speaks volumes about the organization’s commitment to human rights advocacy. It is indeed a proud moment for Ghana and a major milestone towards realizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Watch the discussion video below:

The issue of teenage pregnancy in Ghana has been brought into the spotlight by Joseph Wemakor, a distinguished advocate for women’s rights and human rights journalist. In a recent interview on Jericho TV’s Women’s Empowerment Program with the host Matilda Sikapa, Wemakor rigorously highlighted the need to address the growing problem of teenage pregnancy within Ghana, a topic that is often cast aside and bristled under the rug.

Wemakor, who is also the executive director of the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), used the powerful platform of Jericho TV to amplify the message of his campaign against early pregnancies that threatens the progression of education and overall development of teenagers, especially young women in Ghana.

Wemakor emphasized that this worrying trend demands attention from the government, parents, and aid organizations alike. It’s a problem that cannot be solely restricted to Ghana but is a global issue that affects the fundamental rights of girls and young women.

During his interview, he furnished alarming statistics to convey the seriousness of the issue. According to the Ghana Health Service, there were 554 cases of teenage pregnancy recorded daily in 2020, amounting to a total of 104,618 cases in that year alone. These figures represent a significant increase from the 97,621 cases reported in 2019.

Wemakor is dedicated to ringing the warning bell for rapid and effective measures to curb the menace of teenage pregnancy. Influenced by his strong conviction that education is a sure antidote to this issue, he crafted initiatives to promote knowledge amongst teenagers. Moreover, he has vehemently campaigned against early child marriage and other cultural practices that increase teenage pregnancy rates.

He further reached out to parents, offering them advice to be more proactive in protecting their wards from juvenile pregnancy. Wemakor stressed the need for parents to establish effective communication with their children about sexual health and the consequences of early pregnancies, noting that the lack of this knowledge often leads to mistakes.

Wemakor’s discussion on Jericho TV not only underlined the prevalence of this issue but also strengthened the confidence of thousands of Ghanaians in the government to take charge of this issue in the country’s health crisis. He stressed the necessity of government’s collaboration with NGOs, educational institutions, and social groups to prevent teenage pregnancy and make Ghana a better, safer place for all young women.

Watch the interview video here:

Source:humanrightsreporters.com