LUSAKA, Zambia, April 20— Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) will host a high-level dialogue on press freedom and disability inclusion at the RightsCon 2026 Summit, as concerns grow over shrinking civic space and the marginalization of persons with disabilities across Africa.
The session, titled “Silenced Twice: Press Freedom and Disability Voices Under Threat in Africa,” is scheduled for May 6 at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre (Kenneth Kaunda Wing) from 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Organized as part of the global summit convened by Access Now, the dialogue will bring together experts from journalism, law, disability rights advocacy, environmental governance and public health to examine the intersection of media freedom, civic participation and inclusion.
HRRG Executive Director Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor, who will moderate the session, said the discussion would focus on what advocates describe as “double marginalization,” where persons with disabilities face systemic exclusion from public life and limited representation in media narratives.
“Press freedom and disability inclusion are deeply interconnected. When the media space shrinks, the voices of already marginalized groups are often the first to disappear,” he said.
Participants are expected to explore measures to strengthen inclusive media ecosystems, safeguard freedom of expression and expand equitable access to digital and civic spaces, while also highlighting the role of journalists, policymakers and civil society groups in protecting fundamental freedoms.
The panel will feature Dalitso Mvula of the Centre for Environment Justice in Lusaka; Michael Karanicolas, an expert on freedom of expression and digital governance; and Alina Radu, an investigative journalist from Moldova.
Other speakers include Elizabeth Zulu, a public health specialist, and Joseph Mwanza, a disability rights advocate and Programs Officer at Disability Rights Watch.
Across Africa, journalists face increasing risks, including harassment, arrests and digital surveillance, particularly when reporting on governance and human rights issues. In Ghana, the 2019 killing of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale has continued to raise concerns over media safety, while civil society groups report persistent threats against journalists.
Advocates say such pressures, combined with barriers including inaccessible digital platforms and weak inclusion policies, risk further excluding persons with disabilities from public discourse.
HRRG said the Lusaka session is expected to contribute to global efforts to strengthen press freedom, promote inclusion and reinforce democratic participation in the digital age.
Founded more than a decade ago, HRRG works on issues including child protection, gender equality, climate justice, civic space protection and investigative journalism, and supports more than 500 civil society organizations through the Ghana Civil Society Organizations Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals.
The organization has received several recognitions, including the prestigious UN Global Entreps Award for Best International Practice on Sustainability, the Africa Peace Advocate Award (2023), Africans Rising Activism Awards under Movement of the Year category and honours from the African Human Rights Defenders Shield Awards.