By Ibironke Ariyo
The Devatop Centre for Africa Development on Thursday called for a continent-wide digital transformation of human rights reporting and case management, saying traditional response systems were no longer adequate to address today’s rising violations.
Dr Benson Olugbuo, Board Chairman of the Incorporated Trustees of Devatop Centre, made the call at the TALKAM Human Rights and Case Management Forum in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that TALKAM is a human rights reporting mobile application and information hub.
The hub is meant to disseminate evidence-based information about different forms of human rights abuse, like human trafficking, gender-based violence, and violence against children, among others.
It also offers a variety of information and data on abuse of children and women for community members, organizations, development experts, human rights activists, law enforcement agents, and government agencies.
Olugbuo said the forum with the theme “Strengthening Human Rights Case Management and Survivor Protection Systems through Collaboration and Innovation” was designed to strengthen partnerships.
He emphasised that the forum was to also enhance the capacity of stakeholders to manage reported cases more effectively.
He said the surge in human trafficking, gender-based violence, child abuse and online exploitation required smarter, technology-driven solutions that could connect citizens directly to institutions responsible for protecting them.
He described the TALKAM Human Rights App as one of the breakthrough tools enabling that shift, noting that the platform had grown into a collaborative case management system used by more than 55 organisations and agencies across Africa.
According to him, thousands of citizens now rely on the platform to safely report violations, making it one of the continent’s most accessible digital tools for documenting and responding to abuse.
Olugbuo, however, emphasised that awareness campaigns and research continued to attract significant support.
He added that case management, which involves victims requiring follow-up, legal guidance, psychosocial assistance, and coordinated action, remained the most underfunded aspect of human rights protection.
He said this gap left frontline organisations overstretched and often unable to provide the level of attention survivors deserved.
“Devatop’s mandate is to close these gaps by building stronger digital systems, facilitating collaboration and promoting survivor-centred interventions,” he maintained.
Olugbuo reaffirmed Devatop’s commitment to building innovative tools and alliances that would strengthen human rights protection across the continent.
In his remarks, Joseph Osuigwe, Executive Director of the Devatop Centre for Africa Development, highlighted the impact of the TALKAM Human Rights App in promoting reporting of human trafficking and other human rights abuses across Africa and beyond.
Osuigwe said the app was initially developed as a fundamental, minimum viable web platform to test its functionality in Nigeria before expanding its reach to other African countries.
“Once there was a challenge: no resources. We waited for one year,” he noted.
He said that the app’s initial pilot phase, from 2018 to 2022, allowed the team to test the platform and identify gaps.
According to him, the app played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic, with support from the U.S. Embassy, in documenting cases of online exploitation.
“Subsequent upgrades have transformed TALKAM into a global civic tech platform with advanced features including case tracking, digital case management, online calls, social networking, and access to rights-based learning resources.
Osuigwe said the platform has facilitated numerous interventions, including the rescue of victims in Mali and Libya through engagement with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
He described the app as a “just-for platform” that connects survivors to organisations for support, fosters collaboration among civil society groups, and ensures that discussions translate into actionable justice.
He highlighted ongoing plans to enhance case management further, expand collaboration among organisations, and engage more groups to strengthen human rights protection.
In his keynote address, Abdulganiyu Abubakar, President, Network of Civil Society Organisations Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), pledged continued support for Devatop in strengthening human rights case management in the digital age.
Abubakar said NACTAL, as a leading civil society network, would continue to collaborate with Devatop to enhance access to services for survivors of trafficking, abuse, and other human rights violations.
“NACTAL will leverage its platform to amplify the services provided by Devatop and other members of the local human rights network, ensuring wider reach and impact,” he said.
Abubakar said the forum was an important opportunity for stakeholders to collectively strengthen human rights protections and improve case management systems.
He commended the organisers and attendees, encouraging continued collaboration and support for technology-driven initiatives that enhance reporting, referral, and service delivery for survivors.
