Press Freedom and Disability Rights: Dr. Wemakor’s Urgent Call Ahead of RightsCon 2026

Press Freedom and Disability Rights: Dr. Wemakor’s Urgent Call Ahead of RightsCon 2026

Across Africa today, press freedom is under increasing pressure. At the same time, another quieter crisis continues to deepen — one that affects millions of persons with disabilities who are often left out of public discourse altogether.

For Ghanaian human rights advocate and Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor, these two challenges are not separate. They are deeply connected.

And they must be addressed together.

A Growing Concern Ahead of RightsCon 2026

Speaking in an interview on Africa In Perspective, a programme on Lagos-based Radio Now 95.7 FM, Dr. Wemakor raised concerns about the shrinking space for free expression across the continent, warning that it is widening inequality and silencing already marginalized groups.

His remarks come ahead of a major high-level dialogue that HRRG will host at RightsCon 2026 in Lusaka, Zambia, scheduled for May 6, 2026.

The session is themed: “Silenced Twice: Press Freedom and Disability Voices Under Threat in Africa.”

When Silence Becomes Double Marginalization

According to Dr. Wemakor, the dialogue will focus on the intersection between declining media freedoms, exclusion of persons with disabilities, and the broader shrinking of civic space in Africa.

He argues that when press freedom is weakened, the consequences are felt by everyone — but not equally.

“The media is a vital tool for accountability and truth. When it is weakened, everyone is affected — but for persons with disabilities, the impact is even more severe,” he said.

He explained that persons with disabilities already navigate multiple barriers, including stigma, discrimination, and limited access to platforms that amplify their voices in society.

In such a context, the erosion of media freedom becomes even more damaging.

“When press freedom is under threat, their stories are often the first to disappear,” he added.

A Global Conversation With Local Realities

The RightsCon summit, organized by Access Now, is one of the world’s leading platforms on digital rights, bringing together governments, civil society, journalists, and technology experts to shape global policy conversations.

The HRRG-led dialogue will be held alongside the World Press Freedom Day 2026 Global Conference convened by UNESCO in collaboration with the Government of Zambia.

Together, these global gatherings provide a timely backdrop for discussions on democracy, technology, and inclusion.

Beyond Dialogue: The Call for Action

Dr. Wemakor stressed that the upcoming session is not only about raising awareness but about identifying practical solutions to persistent challenges.

He noted that the dialogue will bring together journalists, policymakers, civil society actors, disability rights advocates, and other experts to explore ways of strengthening inclusive media systems and protecting civic space.

He also called for urgent reforms across the continent.

Governments, he said, must strengthen protections for journalists, repeal laws that criminalize legitimate reporting, and ensure accountability for attacks against media professionals.

At the same time, he urged media organizations to take deliberate steps toward inclusion by employing journalists with disabilities and ensuring content is accessible through sign language interpretation, captioning, and assistive technologies.

Building a More Inclusive Future

“Addressing these challenges requires a collective effort,” Dr. Wemakor emphasized. “Governments, media institutions, civil society, and international partners must work together to build an inclusive and rights-based digital future.”

He further appealed to African states to ratify the African Disability Protocol as a key step toward strengthening protections for persons with disabilities and combating discrimination.

A Call That Goes Beyond RightsCon

As anticipation builds toward RightsCon 2026, Dr. Wemakor’s message is clear: safeguarding press freedom is not enough if it does not include everyone.

For him, the real measure of progress is not only whether journalists are protected — but whether those who are most often unheard finally find space in the conversation.

Because in the end, a democracy that silences some of its voices is not truly whole.