Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) has announced that the highly anticipated HRRG Global RightsCon 2026 Awards will be held in Abuja, Nigeria, during the 3rd Africa High-Level Civil Society Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Conference scheduled for July 14–17, 2026.
The awards ceremony, themed “Championing Human Rights and Democratic Renewal,” is expected to honour an outstanding group of African leaders, diplomats, human rights defenders, civil society organisations, governance experts, youth advocates, and institutions whose work has significantly advanced democracy, human rights, digital rights, civic participation, sustainable development, and social justice across Africa and beyond.
Originally planned as a flagship recognition event alongside the RightsCon 2026 Summit in Lusaka, Zambia, the awards were preserved despite the cancellation of the global summit.
According to HRRG, its Board of Directors and Awards Committee unanimously resolved that the remarkable achievements of the selected honourees deserved continental recognition and subsequently secured the Abuja conference as a fitting platform for the presentation.
The awards ceremony will now form part of one of Africa’s leading governance and accountability conferences, bringing together policymakers, anti-corruption experts, civil society leaders, development partners, financial integrity practitioners, and international stakeholders committed to strengthening democratic governance and civic resilience across the continent.
Speaking ahead of the event, Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana, Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor, said the awards seek to inspire a new generation of ethical and transformational leadership while recognising individuals and institutions whose work continues to shape Africa’s democratic future.
“The HRRG Global RightsCon Awards are more than a celebration of achievement; they are a recognition of leadership rooted in integrity, courage, service, and an unwavering commitment to the public good.
At a time when democratic values, civic freedoms and human rights continue to face significant challenges, it is imperative to celebrate those whose actions strengthen institutions, protect fundamental rights, inspire hope and advance human dignity across our continent,” Dr. Wemakor stated.
He explained that the identities of this year’s award recipients will remain confidential until the official presentation ceremony in Abuja, where they will be formally unveiled before delegates from across Africa and the international community.
According to HRRG, the awards are designed to recognise excellence across a broad spectrum of leadership, including democratic governance, diplomacy, peacebuilding, civic engagement, digital rights advocacy, accountable public service, regional cooperation, and sustainable development.
The organisation further noted that hosting the awards during the continental AML/CFT conference presents a unique opportunity to spotlight leaders and institutions whose contributions have strengthened transparency, accountability, human rights protection and democratic institutions at a time when many African countries continue to confront complex governance and civic space challenges.
HRRG expressed appreciation to the organisers of the 3rd Africa High-Level Civil Society AML/CFT Conference and its strategic partners for providing what it described as a prestigious continental platform to celebrate exemplary leadership while reinforcing shared commitments to justice, democracy, financial integrity, civic participation and inclusive development.
The organisation said comprehensive coverage of the ceremony, including the complete list of award recipients, official citations, photographs and highlights from the event, will be released immediately after the awards presentation.
The HRRG Global RightsCon 2026 Awards reaffirm the organisation’s long-standing commitment to promoting democratic accountability, recognising outstanding leadership, strengthening civic space and advancing the protection of human rights across Africa.
Founded in 2019, Human Rights Reporters Ghana has grown into one of Africa’s leading human rights and media-focused civil society organisations, working to promote democratic governance, social justice, investigative journalism, civic participation, access to justice and sustainable development through advocacy, research, capacity building and strategic partnerships.
Over the years, HRRG has earned both national and international recognition for its work, including the 5th UN Global Entreps Award for Best International Practice on Sustainability for its nationwide KTT Project, which has reached more than 60,000 beneficiaries.
The organisation has also received the Africa Peace Advocate Award, emerged as a finalist in the African Human Rights Defenders Shield Awards, ranked among Ghana’s 100 Most Impactful Changemakers, and contributed expert insights to the World Bank’s Equality of Opportunity for Sexual and Gender Minorities (EQOSOGI) Report.
Beyond its advocacy work, HRRG convenes and supports more than 500 civil society organisations through the Youth Sub-Platform of the Ghana Civil Society Organizations Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has represented Ghana at numerous regional and international policy forums dedicated to advancing human rights, democratic governance and sustainable development.
