HRRG advocacy secures release of Ghanaian domestic worker from Iraq

Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) has successfully facilitated the release and return of a Ghanaian domestic worker who was stranded in Iraq under exploitative conditions.

The victim, Ms. Patience Asiam, 27, arrived in Ghana on Saturday, May 3, 2026, and was received at the Accra International Airport at about 1400 hours by a team from HRRG led by its Executive Director, Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor.

The intervention followed weeks of sustained advocacy by the organization after it brought the case to public attention on April 3, 2026, through press statements and media publications.

Ms. Asiam had travelled to Iraq in February 2025 to work as a domestic worker but was later left stranded after developing a serious eye condition, which forced her to stop working.

According to HRRG, her employer had allegedly demanded a financial payment as a condition for her release, a situation the organization described as exploitative and unlawful.

The organization’s advocacy efforts, supported by extensive media coverage, generated public attention and increased pressure on the employer and associated actors.

Subsequently, Ms. Asiam was released without being required to make any payment and arrangements were made for her safe return to Ghana.

HRRG said it had formally notified the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and engaged the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as part of its intervention efforts.

Speaking on the development, Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor said the outcome demonstrated the impact of coordinated advocacy and media engagement in addressing human rights violations.

“This case demonstrates that when the voices of vulnerable individuals are amplified, it can lead to meaningful action and justice,” he said.

Ms. Asiam, on her part, expressed gratitude for the support that led to her release and safe return.

“I am very happy to be back home. It has not been easy, but I thank Human Rights Reporters Ghana for standing by me,” she said.

HRRG also commended Onua TV and various Ghanaian media outlets for amplifying the story and supporting the advocacy that led to the successful outcome.

The organization called on government institutions, civil society organizations, and international partners to strengthen mechanisms to protect Ghanaian migrant workers and prevent similar incidents.