Human Rights Reporters Ghana holds a crucial workshop on child and forced labour in Asante Akyem Agogo

Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), a leading media and human rights advocacy group, on Friday January 17, 2025, hosted an impactful one-day workshop in Asante Akyem Agogo, located in Ghana’s Ashanti Region.

The primary goal was to empower journalists and activists in the ongoing fight against child and forced labour.

The workshop took place at the luxurious Masanita Royal Hotel, attracting more than 30 committed participants, including journalists, human rights advocates, representatives from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and local leaders.

The event was themed “Combating Child and Forced Labour through Video Verification Techniques,” focusing on equipping attendees with vital skills to use video technology effectively in their advocacy campaigns.

Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor, Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), opened the session with a powerful presentation about the child labour crisis.

He highlighted its alarming prevalence and the devastating effects on children, families, and communities. Dr. Wemakor emphasized the urgent need for collective action, sharing striking statistics and real-life stories that captured the seriousness of the issue.

“We need innovative solutions to confront this critical challenge,” he urged.

Edem Damanka, Executive Director of the Edmark Rescue Foundation, enriched the discussion by stressing community engagement.

“We must empower our communities to recognize the signs of child labour and collaborate to create lasting change,” he asserted.

“Only through united efforts can we protect our children and ensure a brighter future.”

A key highlight of the workshop was a session led by expert facilitator Kwame Adarkwah Yiadom, who introduced participants to advanced video verification techniques, focusing on geo-mapping technology.

Yiadom demonstrated how this innovative tool can authenticate videos, ensuring that reports of child and forced labour are credible and evidence-based.

Participants learned to track the location, time, and context of recorded videos, significantly improving their advocacy and monitoring capabilities.

The training also sparked dynamic discussions, as participants exchanged diverse strategies for combating child and forced labour in their communities.

Many expressed their commitment to building a collaborative network devoted to eradicating child labour, which would provide a platform for resource sharing and best practices.

Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Vincent, a reporter from Asempa Radio, commended the organizers for their insightful program and advocated for more regular training sessions to empower community members in identifying and reporting child labour cases.

“If we could hold these workshops three or four times a year, it would be incredibly beneficial,” he remarked. Journalist Miss Adepa Yalley also expressed her appreciation, stating, “This training has had a significant impact, and I plan to implement everything I learned. The knowledge gained will greatly aid our fight against child labour in our community.”

The workshop highlighted the necessity of collaborative efforts in addressing child and forced labour, and HRRG’s unique approach to integrating video verification techniques was met with widespread acclaim, demonstrating great potential to advance the fight against these social injustices.

Moving forward, HRRG is dedicated to strengthening the newly formed stakeholder network and supporting participants in implementing digital verification techniques in their respective regions.

This significant event was funded by WITNESS, a global human rights organization focused on empowering individuals to use video and technology for human rights protection, and supported by the Edmark Rescue Foundation, a community-based organization.

This workshop is a vital step in the ongoing struggle against child and forced labour, showcasing the impact of community involvement and innovative strategies in creating meaningful change.

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