The Rural Women and Youth Empowerment for Development Agency (RuWYEDA), in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), recently spearheaded a major stakeholder engagement in Gushegu to tackle the persistent issue of witchcraft accusations and related harmful practices in Northern Ghana.
The event, held at the Eastern Corridor Hotel, brought together a diverse group including traditional leaders, civil society organizations, municipal authorities, community women and youth groups, and human rights advocates.
Supported by the International Network Against Witchcraft Accusations and Ritual Attacks (INAWARA) and Lancaster University, UK, the forum focused on the theme: “Elimination of the Harmful Practices Related to Witchcraft Accusations and Ritual Attacks.” This aligns with United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution 47/8, passed on July 12, 2021.
Bawa Abdulai Yakubu, Executive Director of RuWYEDA, emphasized in his welcome address that the campaign does not seek to challenge cultural beliefs but rather to eliminate the violent attacks, stigma, and psychological scars that result from such accusations.
“Our mission is not to interfere with beliefs, but to eliminate the violence attacks, the stigma, and the lifelong psychological scars that come from witchcraft accusations,” Mr. Yakubu said. “We must unite as a community to protect the most vulnerable among us.”
The sensitization program was complemented by a powerful photo exhibition, visually capturing the stories, pain, and resilience of those accused of witchcraft, sparking emotional reactions and thoughtful reflections from participants.
Adam Abdul-Hafiz, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Gushegu, serving as the Special Guest of Honour, underscored the importance of community responsibility and adherence to the law. He issued a stern warning: “If you think you have the right to attack an accused a woman, remember that the next person could be your mother, your sister, or your aunt.” The MCE also highlighted the scientific disconnect, stating, “Even though we acknowledge the spiritual world, scientifically we cannot prove the link between witchcraft beliefs and physical harm.”
He stressed the critical need for grassroots sensitization and community-led action. “We cannot bring the entire community to this hall. That is why each of us here must carry this message back to our communities,” he urged. He also lamented the continued existence of witch camps despite legal prohibitions, calling it a “collective failure” that communities must correct.
Naa Abukari Alidu, a chief from a nearby community, acknowledged the destructive impact of these accusations, stating, “We have witnessed families broken and innocent women exiled based on mere suspicion. It is time for us, as leaders, to speak out and act to stop these injustices.”
Kenneth Addae, National Coordinator for the Anti-Witchcraft Accusations Coalition Campaign and Director of THUHDEG, provided critical legal insights.
He warned that even verbal accusations can lead to prosecution for defamation, while physical harm or property destruction constitutes a criminal offense.
“The law says that if you merely stand before someone and say, ‘you are a witch’ or ‘you are a wizard,’ you can be prosecuted for defamation,” Mr. Addae emphasized. “If you go further to harm the person or destroy their property, that becomes a criminal offense, and the law will take action through the police.” Mr. Addae also acknowledged the complex, spiritual, and emotional factors involved in witchcraft accusations, noting their unique position among development issues due to their direct link to the spiritual world, making them “harder to prove but more dangerous when misused.” He further highlighted the widespread existence of witch camps beyond Gushegu, including in Binduri in the Upper East Region, reiterating that “we must recognize that these camps are spread across regions, but the law remains clear, no one should be dehumanized or isolated based on mere suspicion.”
Alidu Zara (Yimahi-Naa), a queen mother and women’s rights advocate, voiced her concerns about the social isolation suffered by accused women, some of whom spend the rest of their lives in camps without seeing their families.
“The social isolation these women suffer is heartbreaking. Some spend the rest of their lives in camps without seeing their families again. We need community-based education to change these harmful mindsets,” she stressed. She also pleaded with her fellow women to desist from these practices, especially those involved, and urged those not involved to remain clean. She added that women are at the center of witchcraft accusations and called on all women in the area to take this as a challenge so that together they can fight to eliminate it.
Following the conference, the RuWYEDA team, accompanied by the Social Welfare and CHRAJ Municipal Directors, visited the Leli Dabari Witch Camp. They donated essential items, including food, handbags, and footwear, bringing much-needed relief and a message of solidarity to the residents. During the visit, Mma Abiriwa, a woman at the camp, expressed her gratitude.
“We have been here for many years, living in fear and neglect. Today, we feel remembered and valued. This gives us hope,” she said, visibly touched. She thanked RuWYEDA for the support and appealed to them and other philanthropists and organizations for more assistance.
She added that only a few of them are beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program and appealed to the government through the Social Welfare officer present to help enroll them in the program.
In a related development, Adam Musa, the caretaker of the Kpatinga witches camp, expressed deep concern over the continued labeling and persecution of certain individuals as witches, describing the practice as not only unjust but also discriminatory.
In a conversation with Rainbow Radio’s Prince Kwame Tamakloe, he lamented that the victims brought to his camp are almost always women, often elderly and vulnerable, and predominantly from impoverished backgrounds.
He questioned why it seems that only a specific category of people, poor women, are accused and banished, while men or individuals from wealthier families are rarely, if ever, subjected to the same accusations and treatment.
Musa believes the trend reflects deep-rooted social and gender inequalities that need to be urgently addressed.
He stressed that “witchcraft accusations are often based on mere suspicion, jealousy, or longstanding family disputes, yet the consequences are severe and lifelong. Many of the women at the camp have been stripped of their dignity, separated from their families, and left to survive in harsh conditions with little hope of reintegration into society.” He called on the government, civil society organizations, and traditional leaders to step in and protect these women, while also educating communities to move away from such harmful and outdated beliefs.
The event served as a crucial platform for public education and marked a significant step towards community-driven solutions to eliminate the stigma and violence associated with witchcraft accusations in the Gushegu Municipality, the Northern Region, and beyond. As a committed partner in the INAWARA global network, RuWYEDA continues to lead local efforts to promote women’s empowerment, protect human rights, and advance peaceful coexistence in Northern Ghana.
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