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.
