Govt Moves to End Abuse of Persons Accused Of Witchcraft
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to fast-tracking the passage of the Anti-Witchcraft Accusations Bill, a piece of legislation aimed at protecting persons accused of witchcraft from abuse, violence and other rights violations.
Speaking during a visit to the Gambaga witches camp in the North East Region, the Minister explained that the bill is at an advanced stage of the legislative process and, once passed, will criminalise acts of abuse meted out to persons accused of witchcraft, whether such abuse occurs in their own homes or within the camps where many have sought refuge.
For decades, elderly women in parts of northern Ghana who have been branded witches, often following unexplained deaths, illnesses or misfortunes in their communities, have fled to camps such as Gambaga to escape mob violence, banishment and other forms of persecution. Successive governments and civil society groups have called for stronger legal protection for these vulnerable individuals, many of whom spend their remaining years separated from their families.
During her tour of the camp, Madam Lartey assured residents that government would work to improve their accommodation, security and general living conditions. She noted that the state’s vision is to transform the camp from a place associated with stigma and discrimination into a genuine safe haven for its occupants.
The Minister indicated that her Ministry would collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including traditional authorities, security agencies and civil society organisations, to address the various challenges confronting residents of the camp and to ensure their welfare needs are adequately catered for.
She emphasised that the passage of the Anti-Witchcraft Accusations Bill forms part of broader government efforts to safeguard the rights and dignity of vulnerable persons, particularly older women who continue to bear the brunt of witchcraft accusations in some communities.
Madam Lartey’s visit to Gambaga is seen as part of ongoing engagements by the Ministry to draw attention to the plight of accused persons and to build support for the pending legislation ahead of its passage.
Once enacted, the law is expected to serve as a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to eliminate harmful practices associated with witchcraft accusations and to strengthen protections for some of society’s most marginalised citizens.
