A high-level delegation of parliamentarians, civil society organisations (CSOs), and community leaders has begun a three-day working visit to witch camps in Ghana’s Northern and Northeast Regions, with a renewed call for the swift passage of the long-delayed Anti-Witchcraft Accusation Bill.
The visit, which includes stops at the Gambaga, Kukuo, and Gnani camps, is the second of its kind, following an earlier mission organised by ActionAid Ghana and The Sanneh Institute. The current mission is being spearheaded by five organisations—Songtaba, ActionAid Ghana, Amnesty International Ghana, Oxfam Ghana, and The Sanneh Institute—in collaboration with Parliament’s Human Rights Standing Committee.
According to the convenors, the exercise aims to build political will for the passage of the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2023, formally referred to as the Anti-Witchcraft Accusation Bill.
“Although Parliament passed the Bill on July 28, 2023, the then President Akufo-Addo did not sign it, citing potential financial implications. This initiative is a critical step toward evidence-based lawmaking. We want national policymakers to engage directly with survivors and hear their stories first-hand.”” a joint statement noted.
“This legislation is long overdue. It is the product of years of advocacy by survivors, CSOs, and community groups. No one should live in fear of being branded a witch.”
The Bill, sponsored by Madina MP Francis-Xavier Sosu and others, seeks to amend Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act of 1960 (Act 29) to criminalise witchcraft accusations.
Witchcraft accusations have devastating consequences in Ghana. A 2020 ActionAid Ghana study revealed that over 95% of those accused are women, mostly widows and the elderly. Recent figures from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) show hundreds confined in camps, stripped of their dignity and basic rights.
“The lynching of 90-year-old Madam Akua Denteh was a stark reminder of the violence associated with these accusations. Over 500 women and children remain trapped in six witch camps across northern Ghana, facing restrictions on healthcare, education, and livelihoods,” the statement noted.
This according to the coalition violates multiple legal and human rights frameworks.
“These accusations are unconstitutional; they contravene the 1992 Constitution of Ghana which guarantees dignity and freedom from inhuman treatment. They also violate CEDAW, the global convention on ending discrimination against women, and they undermine Ghana’s commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5 on Gender Equality and Goal 16 on Peace and Justice,” the statement stressed.
“The persistence of fresh accusations shows why enforceable legislation is non-negotiable. We also need community education and stronger support systems for victims,” organisers argued.
“As committed organisations advancing women’s rights, we believe this joint visit marks a critical opportunity for change. It is expected to renew political momentum toward passing the Bill, increase national visibility of human rights abuses tied to witchcraft accusations, and strengthen survivor-centred advocacy and state–civil society collaboration.”
By: Starrfm.com.gh
