Dr. Joseph Wemakor, Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), has underscored the critical need for collective action in the fight against child and forced labour.
This powerful message resonated during a recent capacity-building workshop held on January 17, 2025, at the Masanita Royal Hotel in Asante Akyem Agogo, Ashanti Region of Ghana.
The event brought together over 30 passionate participants dedicated to making a difference.
The workshop, themed “Combating Child and Forced Labour through Video Verification Techniques,” aimed to equip attendees with essential skills to leverage video technology in their advocacy efforts.
Dr. Wemakor passionately addressed the alarming prevalence of child labour, highlighting its devastating impacts on children, families, and communities.
He emphasized the need for innovative and united strategies to combat this pressing issue.
Adding depth to the discussion, Edem Damanka, Executive Director of Edmark Rescue Foundation, stressed the importance of community involvement.
“We must empower our communities to recognize the signs of child labour and work together to create lasting change. Only through collective efforts can we protect our children and ensure a better future,” he stated.
A highlight of the workshop was a session led by an expert facilitator Kwame Adarkwah Yiadom, who focused on geo-mapping technology and presented sophisticated photo and video verification methods.
Mr. 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 enhancing their advocacy and monitoring capabilities.
The workshop facilitated a vibrant exchange of ideas among participants, who shared diverse perspectives on addressing child and forced labour in their communities.
Many expressed a commitment to establishing a collaborative network aimed at eradicating child labour, creating a valuable platform for resource sharing and best practices.
Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Vincent, a reporter from Asempa Radio, commended the organizers for the insightful program, suggesting that regular training sessions would be beneficial.
“If this could happen three or four times a year, it would be very helpful,” he remarked. Similarly, journalist Miss Adepa Yalley noted, “It’s been incredibly impactful, and I will implement everything I learned.
The knowledge gained will significantly support the fight against child labour in our community.”
The workshop highlighted the importance of united efforts in combating child and forced labour.
HRRG’s innovative approach to integrating video verification techniques received significant praise, demonstrating promising potential to enhance the fight against these social injustices.
Looking ahead, HRRG plans to strengthen the newly formed stakeholder network and assist participants in applying digital verification techniques in their respective regions.
This initiative was made possible through generous funding from WITNESS, a global human rights organization dedicated to empowering individuals to leverage video and technology for human rights protection.
This initiative stems from Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor’s selection for the ‘Fortifying the Truth Cohort’ by WITNESS, where he participated in intensive training in community-based digital verification techniques in Abuja, Nigeria, from May 29 to 31, 2024.
With such dedication and collaboration, the fight against child and forced labour in Ghana is poised for transformative change.
