Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor is a Ghanaian human rights advocate, journalist, international development communicator, peace advocate, and civil society practitioner with over a decade of experience advancing human rights, civic participation, youth empowerment, child protection, gender justice, digital rights, media freedom, and inclusive development.

He is the Founder and Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), a youth-led civil society and media organisation working to advance human dignity, accountability, social justice, civic participation, and community empowerment, with particular attention to women, children, young people, persons with disabilities, rural communities, and other underserved populations.

He is also the Founder and Convener of the HRRG Global RightsShield Awards, which recognises contributions to human rights, social justice, peace, sustainable development, and responsible leadership.

Dr. Wemakor serves as a Steering Committee Member of the Ghana Civil Society Organizations Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Convener of its Youth Sub-Platform, representing a network of more than 500 civil society organisations. He also serves on the Advocacy Technical Committee for Ghana's draft Non-Profit Organization Bill, contributing to discussions on civic space, civil society governance, and policy reform.

As a journalist, editor, and publisher, he is the Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of HumanRightsReporters.com and has contributed extensively to public-interest journalism on human rights, governance, development, migration, social justice, and civic participation. His work has also engaged issues of digital rights, freedom of expression, information integrity, and the protection of marginalised voices.

Dr. Wemakor has participated in national, continental, and international forums on human rights, sustainable development, digital rights, press freedom, civic space, peace and security, and inclusive development. He was selected by Access Now to convene and facilitate the proposed RightsCon 2026 session, “Silenced Twice: Press Freedom and Disability Voices Under Threat in Africa,” reflecting his engagement at the intersection of digital rights, media freedom, and inclusion.

His work has received national and international recognition, including the 5th UN Global Entreps Award for Best International Practice on Sustainability, the Africa Peace Advocate Award (2023), the Most Influential Student Media Personnel Award (2016), the National Migration Media Award (2018), and recognition through the WITNESS Fortifying the Truth programme and the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa Financial Journalism Program.

Dr. Wemakor brings a practical, community-centered perspective to digital rights and inclusion, connecting human rights advocacy, journalism, civil society action, and policy engagement to promote more inclusive, accountable, and people-centered digital societies.