Belief in witchcraft is widespread on the African continent. Amnesty International recently released a report highlighting the situation in Ghana, in particular in the northern part of the country, but accusations of witchcraft and attacks on persons accused of being witches, in particular elder women, are – I dare say – common in many African communities, in rural areas as well as urban centers. See my previous posts on the subject.
Authorities often fail to react adequately on these human rights violations. It is not rare that even those occupying responsible positions in society also belief in witchcraft, joining violators in stead of protecting vulnerable victims.
As Amnesty International emphasizes in its report, root causes must be addressed. Genevieve Partington, Country Director Amnesty International Ghana pleads for an active role of governments in combatting this evil:
“The government should establish a properly resourced long-term national awareness campaign challenging cultural and social practices that discriminate against women and older people, including witchcraft accusations.”
Read the full story below.
NB The full title of the Amnesty International report is ‘Branded for life: how witchcraft accusations lead to human rights violations of hundreds of women in north Ghana’.
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Witchcraft accusations putting hundreds at risk of “physical attacks or even death” in Ghana, Amnesty says
Published: April 14, 2025
By: CBS BNews (CBS/AFP)
Hundreds of people suspected of witchcraft in Ghana, especially older women, face rampant human rights abuses including murder, Amnesty International said Monday, asking the government to criminalize accusations and ritual attacks.
In 2023, the Ghanaian parliament passed a bill making it a criminal offense to declare, accuse, name or label someone as a witch but the bill is yet to be signed into law.
“The accusations, which can lead to threats, physical attacks or even death, usually start within the family or among community members following a tragic event such as an illness or a death,” Amnesty said.
“Older women living in poverty, with health conditions or disabilities are at greater risk, as well as women who do not conform to stereotypical gender roles. In some cases, accusers even base their claims on having had a bad dream about a person,” it added.
The majority of victims are “marginalized individuals, particularly older women,” in areas in the country’s northern and northeastern regions, the report said.
Belief in witchcraft remains common in many rural communities along the west African coast, including Ghana, and elsewhere in the continent. Earlier this year, two men in Zambia were charged with practicing witchcraft and possessing charms intended to harm the country’s president.
People accused of witchcraft are usually banished from their home areas and in Ghana they seek refuge in camps run by traditional priests “where they remain until they die or a family member or another community accepts them,” the rights monitor said.
Amnesty said Ghana had not done enough to protect victims, stressing the need for a sensitization campaign in vulnerable areas.
It also said the government had failed to “ensure access to adequate food, safe housing and clean water” for people living in these camps.
“The authorities should pass legislation specifically criminalizing witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks, including protective measures for potential victims,” said Genevieve Partington, Amnesty’s country director in Ghana.
Partington is also a member of the Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations, an association set up following the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in July 2020 in northern Ghana.
Similar attacks occur in other parts of Africa.
Eight women blamed for the death of two ailing boys in Guinea Bissau last year were forced to drink poison and died.
Also last year, two women in their sixties were publicly stoned and their bodies burnt in the Democratic Republic of Congo for allegedly causing the deaths of several people.
This is a reflection of how “we treat elderly people,” Leo Igwe, founder of Nigeria-based non-profit Advocacy for Alleged Witches, told AFP.
Samadu Sayibu of Ghana’s rights group Songtaba, said it also “highlighted issues such as gender and poverty.”
Belief in witchcraft is also common in some rural communities in Angola despite strong opposition from the church in the predominantly Catholic former Portuguese colony. Last year, police said about 50 people died in Angola after being forced to drink an herbal potion to prove they were not sorcerers.
During a 2009 trip to Angola, Pope Benedict urged Catholics to shun witchcraft and sorcery.
The original Amnesty International article:
Ghana: Hundreds accused of witchcraft urgently need protection and reparation
Published: April 14, 2025
By: Amnesty International
The Ghanaian authorities have failed to protect and fulfil the human rights of hundreds of victims of witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks that forced them to flee their communities fearing for their lives, said Amnesty International in a new report.
“Branded for life: How witchcraft accusations lead to human rights violations of hundreds of women in North Ghana”, documents the situation across four informal camps where accused people, primarily older women, are currently living with insufficient access to health services, food, safe housing, clean water and economic opportunities. At the time of Amnesty International’s visits in November 2023 and April 2024, more than 500 people were residing in the camps.
“Witchcraft accusations and related abuses infringe on a person’s right to life, to security, and to non-discrimination. This deeply rooted and prevalent practice has led to untold suffering and violence. While the belief in witchcraft is protected under international law, harmful practices that stem from the belief are not and those impacted need protection and reparation,” said Michèle Eken, Senior Researcher at Amnesty International.
“He doesn’t want me [in the community], that’s why he accused me”
The accusations, which can lead to threats, physical attacks or even death, usually start within the family or among community members following a tragic event such as an illness or a death. Older women living in poverty, with health conditions or disabilities are at greater risk, as well as women who do not conform to stereotypical gender roles.
In some cases, accusers even base their claims on having had a bad dream about a person.
They always have plans of putting allegations against you, especially if you are hardworking and are still strong and doing well as a woman.A resident of the Kukuo camp
“My neighbour said he dreamt […] that I was trying to kill him. He doesn’t want me [in the community], that’s why he accused me,” said Fawza*, resident of Gnani camp. “I refused for the [village] chief to marry any of my daughters. One day, a child got sick in the community and the chief accused me,” said Fatma*, resident of the Kukuo camp.
Another resident of the Kukuo camp about 60 years old, said: “They always have plans of putting allegations against you, especially if you are hardworking and are still strong and doing well as a woman.”
Authorities failing to ensure decent living conditions in camps
Women accused of witchcraft have no safe place to run to other than camps overseen by religious leaders in the northern and north-east regions of Ghana, which are now more than a century old.
Although the camps offer shelter, the living conditions are inadequate. Alimata* struggles with her accommodation: “I have my own room here, but it needs reroofing. Water comes down through the roof when it rains.” A resident of the Kukuo camp in her eighties, has not been able to support herself since she fled her village: “I miss a lot [from home]. I had everything. I was harvesting shea nuts. Now, if someone doesn’t feed me, how would I eat?”
The government has failed to ensure access to adequate food, safe housing and clean water in the camps. Health services are also inadequate for women who have serious or ongoing health conditions. Livelihood opportunities are limited and there is no governmental programme to support victims of witchcraft accusations.
“Because people in the camps are unable to provide for themselves, the authorities have a duty to protect and support them. But they have so far failed to do so,” said Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s Interim Regional Director for West and Central Africa.
Witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks must be criminalized
The testimonies point to the state’s failure to establish an environment conducive to criminal investigations and prosecutions of witchcraft-related attacks. This, in turn, contributes to the recurrence of accusations and related abuses.
By not providing a specific legal framework to address this harmful practice, the Ghanaian authorities have failed in their duty to protect victims.
“The authorities should pass legislation specifically criminalizing witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks, including protective measures for potential victims,” said Genevieve Partington, Country Director of Amnesty International Ghana and member of the Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations, an association set up following the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in July 2020.
Root causes must also be addressed
The belief in witchcraft is entrenched in several communities. Criminalizing witchcraft accusations alone would not resolve the issue. While some sensitization initiatives have been conducted by NGOs and at the local government level, they are not enough to comprehensively combat stereotypes linked to witchcraft accusations.
The government should establish a long-term national awareness campaign challenging cultural and social practices that discriminate against women and older people.Genevieve Partington, Country Director of Amnesty International Ghana
“We urge the adoption of a holistic approach that addresses the root causes of the abuses including social and economic reintegration programmes, along with protection and reparations to persons who suffered abuses due to an accusation,” said Genevieve Partington.
“The government should establish a properly resourced long-term national awareness campaign challenging cultural and social practices that discriminate against women and older people, including witchcraft accusations.”
Background
This report is based on research conducted between July 2023 and January 2025. The organization interviewed 93 people accused of witchcraft living in four camps, including 82 women, most of them aged 50 to 90.
As part of Amnesty International’s campaign, discussions were held in early February 2025 with the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. They expressed interest in the reintroduction in parliament of the private members bill to criminalize witchcraft accusations and to protect victims of witchcraft accusations. The bill was reintroduced shortly afterwards.
Amnesty International shared the preliminary findings of this report on 26 February 2025 with the authorities. At the time of finalizing the report, no responses had been received.
* Names have been changed to protect identity.
Source: Ghana: Hundreds accused of witchcraft urgently need protection and reparation
Read more:
Hundreds facing witchcraft accusations in Ghana need protection: Amnesty
Published: pril 14, 2025
By: AFP, CTV News Canada
Accra, Ghana — Hundreds of people suspected of witchcraft in Ghana, especially older women, face rampant human rights abuses including murder, Amnesty International said Monday, asking the government to criminalise accusations and ritual attacks.
In 2023, the Ghanaian parliament passed a bill making it a criminal offence to declare, accuse, name, or label someone as a witch but the bill is yet to be signed into law.
“The accusations, which can lead to threats, physical attacks or even death, usually start within the family or among community members following a tragic event such as an illness or a death,” Amnesty said.
“Older women living in poverty, with health conditions or disabilities are at greater risk, as well as women who do not conform to stereotypical gender roles. In some cases, accusers even base their claims on having had a bad dream about a person,” it added.
The majority of victims are “marginalized individuals, particularly older women,” in areas in country’s northern and northeastern regions, the report said.
Belief in witchcraft remains common in many rural communities along the west African coast, including Ghana.
People accused of witchcraft are usually banished from their home areas and in Ghana they seek refuge in camps run by traditional priests “where they remain until they die or a family member or another community accepts them,” the rights monitor said.
Amnesty said Ghana had not done enough to protect victims, stressing the need for a sensitisation campaign in vulnerable areas.
It also said the government had failed to “ensure access to adequate food, safe housing and clean water” for people living in these camps.
“The authorities should pass legislation specifically criminalizing witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks, including protective measures for potential victims,” said Genevieve Partington, Amnesty’s country director in Ghana.
Partington is also a member of the Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations, an association set up following the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in July 2020 in northern Ghana.
Similar attacks occur in other parts of Africa.
Eight women blamed for the death of two ailing boys in Guinea Bissau last year were forced to drink poison and died.
Also last year, two women in their sixties were publicly stoned and their bodies burnt in the Democratic Republic of Congo for allegedly causing the deaths of several people.
This is a reflection of how “we treat elderly people,” Leo Igwe, founder of Nigeria-based non-profit Advocacy for Alleged Witches, told AFP.
Samadu Sayibu of Ghana’s rights group Songtaba, said it also “highlighted issues such as gender and poverty”.
Source: Hundreds facing witchcraft accusations in Ghana need protection: Amnesty
