Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor, Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), has called for urgent and coordinated action to safeguard press freedom while promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities across Africa.
He said the erosion of media freedoms on the continent continued to undermine democratic governance and accountability, with disproportionate impact on persons with disabilities.
Dr. Wemakor made the call in an interview with Africa In Perspective, a Programme on Lagos-based Radio Now 95.7 FM, ahead of a high-level dialogue session to be hosted by HRRG at the RightsCon 2026 summit in Lusaka, Zambia.
The session, scheduled for Wednesday, May 6, 2026, is on the theme: “Silenced Twice: Press Freedom and Disability Voices Under Threat in Africa.”
He explained that the dialogue would examine the intersection between press freedom, disability inclusion and shrinking civic space in Africa, with particular focus on the “double marginalization” faced by persons with disabilities.
Dr. Wemakor noted that the media remained a critical pillar in society, serving as a tool for accountability and truth.
He said when press freedom was restricted, it not only affected the general population but further silenced persons with disabilities, whose voices were already limited by systemic barriers such as stigma, discrimination and exclusion.
“If the media is silenced, millions of persons with disabilities lose one of the most important tools for accountability, and their stories risk disappearing,” he said.
The RightsCon 2026 summit, convened by Access Now, is a global platform that brings together stakeholders to discuss issues relating to digital rights and civic space.
The HRRG dialogue will be held alongside the World Press Freedom Day 2026 Global Conference organized by UNESCO in collaboration with the Government of Zambia.
Dr Wemakor said the session would bring together journalists, lawyers, policymakers, civil society organizations, disability rights advocates and other stakeholders to explore strategies to strengthen inclusive media ecosystems and expand access to digital and civic spaces.
He called on governments to strengthen legal protections for journalists, repeal laws that criminalize legitimate reporting, and ensure independent investigations into attacks against media professionals.
Dr. Wemakor also urged media institutions to promote inclusivity by recruiting journalists with disabilities and ensuring that content was accessible through captioning, sign language interpretation and assistive technologies.
He further called for stronger collaboration among governments, civil society organizations and international partners to ensure that Africa’s digital transformation was anchored on human rights and accessibility.
Dr. Wemakor appealed to African governments to ratify the African Disability Protocol to enhance the protection of persons with disabilities and combat discrimination.
He emphasized that safeguarding press freedom must go hand in hand with promoting inclusive participation to ensure that no voice was left behind.
Kindly listen to the short interview below:
