HRRG Expands Global RightsShield Awards, Invites Global Partners for 2027

A growing international platform seeks to recognize changemakers advancing human rights, dignity, inclusion, and positive social transformation.

Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) is expanding its Global RightsShield Awards and inviting individuals, organizations, and networks across Africa and beyond to help shape the program's 2027 edition.

The HRRG Global RightsShield Awards were created to recognize people and institutions whose leadership, courage, service, and innovation are making a meaningful difference in their communities and beyond.

The Awards focus on contributions to human rights, democracy, justice, peace, inclusion, sustainable development, and human dignity.

Following the inaugural edition held in Abuja, Nigeria, in July 2026, HRRG is now preparing for the 2027 edition with a stronger focus on regional and international participation.

Recognizing Those Creating Change

Across Africa and around the world, individuals and organizations are working every day to defend rights, strengthen communities, promote inclusion, and create opportunities for people whose voices are often overlooked.

Many of these contributions receive limited public recognition.

The Global RightsShield Awards seek to help change that by creating a platform where exceptional leadership and social impact can be recognized and shared more widely.

The programme recognizes a broad range of changemakers, including human rights defenders, civil society leaders, journalists, academics, development practitioners, innovators, public leaders, diplomats, philanthropists, and institutions working to advance positive social change.

Building a Community Around the Awards

For its 2027 edition, HRRG is looking beyond a traditional awards model and seeking to build a wider community of organizations and individuals who share a commitment to human dignity and social transformation.

The organization is therefore inviting civil society organizations, universities, professional networks, media organizations, foundations, development actors, corporate institutions, advocates, and other stakeholders to explore ways of contributing to the programme.

Participation can take many forms.

Partners may support nominations outreach, connect HRRG with relevant organizations and networks, contribute technical or professional expertise, support communications and media visibility, facilitate regional engagement, provide knowledge and research support, mobilize resources, or offer sponsorship and in-kind assistance.

HRRG emphasizes that partnership does not necessarily mean financial contribution. Networks, expertise, introductions, visibility, and knowledge can also play an important role in strengthening the programme.

Creating Space for Regional and International Voices

One of the opportunities being developed for the 2027 edition is greater participation from partners and stakeholders outside Ghana.

Individuals and organizations with strong networks in particular countries or regions can help connect the awards with deserving changemakers, civil society organizations, institutions, media platforms, academics, and development actors.

This approach is intended to ensure that the Awards are not limited to a single national perspective but reflect the diversity of leadership and social impact across Africa and the wider international community.

Protecting the Independence of the Awards

While HRRG is opening the programme to collaboration, it says the independence and integrity of the Awards will remain central.

The Global RightsShield Awards are conceived, founded, owned, organized, and administered by Human Rights Reporters Ghana.

HRRG retains responsibility for the governance and administration of the programme, while nominations, assessments, and final selections are conducted through an independent process guided by established governance principles, ethical standards, and merit-based criteria.

Partners may support nominations and outreach, but partnership does not guarantee an award or provide authority to influence the independent selection process.

More Than an Awards Ceremony

For HRRG, the Global RightsShield Awards are intended to be more than a ceremony where plaques and certificates are presented.

The organization sees the initiative as an opportunity to connect people doing important work, amplify stories of positive change, and encourage greater recognition of leadership that advances human rights and human dignity.

Through stronger partnerships, HRRG hopes to facilitate knowledge exchange, cross-border networking, public engagement, and collaboration among civil society, media, academia, development actors, and other changemakers.

An Invitation to Collaborate

As preparations for the 2027 edition continue, HRRG is inviting individuals and organizations that share these values to explore opportunities for collaboration.

The organization is particularly interested in partners who can contribute networks, expertise, regional reach, institutional connections, visibility, technical support, resource mobilization, sponsorship, or other meaningful forms of support.

For HRRG, the goal is not simply to create a bigger awards programme, but to build a credible platform that recognizes people making a difference and helps their work reach wider audiences.

About Human Rights Reporters Ghana

Human Rights Reporters Ghana is a dynamic human rights and media-focused civil society organization working to advance human dignity, democratic accountability, social justice, civic participation, environmental sustainability, media freedom, and sustainable development in Ghana, across Africa and globally.

Through advocacy, investigative journalism, research, public education, capacity building, policy engagement, and strategic partnerships, HRRG works with communities, civil society organizations, journalists, policymakers, and other stakeholders across Ghana, Africa, and beyond.

HRRG's work has received national and international recognition, including the 5th United Nations Global Entreps Award for Best International Practice on Sustainability through its nationwide KTT Project, the Africa Peace Advocate Award (2023), recognition as a finalist in the African Human Rights Defenders Shield Awards (2023), and inclusion among Ghana's 100 Most Impactful Changemakers (2024).

HRRG also convenes and supports more than 500 civil society organizations through its leadership of the Youth Sub-Platform of the Ghana Civil Society Organizations Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals.

Connect with HRRG

Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor

Executive Director

Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG)

Email: hrrghana@gmail.com

Website: humanrightsreportersgh.org

HRRG Global RightsShield Awards 2027

Recognizing Impact. Celebrating Leadership. Advancing Human Dignity.