By Valentia Tetteh
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ)in Collaboration with Crossroad International is organizing a National dialogue Access to Justice for Women accused as witches in Ghana at Marlin Resort, Gomoa Fete in the Central Region.
The dialogue is on the theme; Stop Witchcraft Allegations Now:No Woman Should die because she is perceived as a witch.
The abuse of older persons, especially women accused of witchcraft is one of the most silent, yet prevalent Gender Base Violence committed against women in Ghana. In 2021 and 2022, three older persons (two women and one man) were tortured to death in the Savannah and the Upper East Regions of Ghana. This and many other instances of abuse and torture of older persons accused of witchcraft has been recorded in Ghana, and there is the urgent need to revisit actions and policies to curb this heinous and dehumanizing treatment unjustly meted out to older persons, especially women.
The factors influencing this situation are not far-fetched. According to a recent study conducted by Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) into the prevalence of the practice of witchcraft revealed strong correlation between old age, illiteracy and poor socio-economic status of women on the one hand; and the propensity or at-risk of being labelled a witch.
In his opening remarks, the commissioner of CHRAJ, Mr. Joseph Whittal says the aim of the dialogue is to provide practical solutions to the witchcraft allegations in the country. “As a Commission, we remain committed to our mandate of human rights promotion and protection, and we will do everything possible within the ambit of the Law to ensure true respect for the rights of all “leaving no one behind”. In the end, we hope to contribute to protecting the human rights of vulnerable persons, especially, due to harmful cultural practices.”
The Executive director of the Sanneh Institute, Prof. John Azumah shared a story of his mother who was accused of being a witch because he was intelligent in school. “My mother was accused of being a witch and her only crime was that I was doing we in school and so she was helping me. So I grew up with that stigma and it caused me a lot of pain. But I was a child and I couldn’t do anything about it.
In 2020 my first cousin was accused of witchcraft. She was publicly humiliated. Her hair was shaved and her clothes were striped off in public. When the news got to me in Accra, I board a plane and flew to the North. I caused the arrest of these accusers. Not long after Akua Denteh was publicly lynched. So all of these fuel some anger in me and thought that someone must do something about this. That was how I got in touch with some institutions and collaborated with them.”He further stated, “We sent a petition to Parliament and till date the bill has not been signed by the President.”
He therefore called for an all-hands on desk approach to help eliminate the stigmatization of witchcraft accusations in the country.
