Aid worker calls for action to protect child "witches" from abuse
Children accused of being witches have suffered abuse, been forced to flee their homes and fallen prey to human traffickers, an expert says.
GENEVA, April 8 (UNHCR) - Demonic possession, witchcraft and the occult are not the first things that spring to mind in a debate on refugees. But violence related to witchcraft accusations sometimes results in human rights abuses, forced displacement and human trafficking, according to a British aid worker.
Gary Foxcroft, programme director of Stepping Stones Nigeria, told a recent panel discussion organized by the UN refugee agency that belief in spirits and witchcraft is widespread in many parts of the world.
"These beliefs by themselves are not a protection concern. They only become so when they lead to abuse and human rights violations," said Foxcroft, whose organization works with children in Nigeria who have been physically and mentally abused for allegedly being sorcerers and witches.
The results of being accused of witchcraft can be horrific: suspected witches are often beaten up and subjected to appalling treatment by their parents or relatives, who believe they are responsible for any ills befalling their family or community.
Exorcism rituals and trials by ordeal to determine the guilt or innocence of suspected witches are often brutal and sometimes result in the death of the child. In extreme cases, children have been starved, scalded with hot oil or water, forced to sit on an open fire or had nails hammered into their skulls.
"Once a child has been stigmatized as a witch," Foxcroft explained, "he or she is rejected by their family and community."
Some religious practitioners make a living from exorcising alleged witches and charging exorbitant fees to those who request the ritual. In Foxcroft's experience, the most vulnerable members of society - children and the elderly - are often the victims of these accusations.
He said that women are more likely to be accused of dabbling in the occult than men. In some African countries, such as Tanzania, albinos have been victims of ritual murders because their body parts are believed to possess supernatural powers.
Although normally associated with African countries, violence related to witchcraft allegations has been reported elsewhere in the world. In the United Kingdom, for example, cases of witchcraft-related child abuse and killings have made headlines in recent years.
In 2000, Victoria Climbié, an eight-year-old child from Côte d'Ivoire, was abused and murdered by her relatives because they believed she was possessed by evil spirits.
A year later, the torso of an African boy, known only as Adam, was found floating in the River Thames. He is believed to have been the victim of a ritual killing. In 2005, three adults were found guilty of child cruelty after abusing "Child B" for months for being a "witch."
A recent research paper commissioned by UNHCR examined the link between witchcraft accusations and forced displacement. "An extensive literature review of journal articles, UNHCR internal documents and newspapers has shown that witchcraft accusations lead to violence and persecution in locations throughout the world," the paper said.
UNHCR Resettlement Officer Jill Schnoebelen, author of the paper, found that "workers at international organizations and non-governmental organizations must be aware of the tenacity of witchcraft beliefs, the very real threat they can create for individuals, and be willing to provide protection through monitoring, relocation and awareness-raising campaigns."
Jeff Crisp, head of the refugee agency's Policy Development and Evaluation Service, noted that in some countries, "accusations of witchcraft constitute some of the most serious refugee protection problems encountered by UNHCR."
Despite the seriousness of the problem and its global scale, experts such as Foxcroft remain optimistic that witchcraft-related violence can be tackled through a combination of education, public awareness campaigns and legislation. He has called for a global conference on witchcraft-related abuse, where experts and stakeholders from around the world can gather to exchange information, discuss best practices and establish networks.
By William Spindler in Geneva
Related news and stories
UN warns of worsening conflict and displacement in Sahel without immediate climate action
Cameroonian refugees help bust COVID-19 myths in Nigeria
Killings, kidnappings and looting force 11,500 Nigerians to flee to Niger
Bandit attacks drive Nigerian villagers to flee to Niger
A wave of bandit attacks force Nigeran villagers to flee to Niger
Refugees in Cameroon help build 'Great Green Wall' to combat desertification
Your search for « witches » matched 38 results. Displaying page 1 of 5 pages.
-
Witchcraft allegations, refugee protection and human rights: a review of the evidence, Jill Schnoebelen
10 Jan 2009 ... ISSN 1020-7473 2 Introduction Accused witches have been executed by hanging, drowning and burning at the stake throughout history. The persecution of accused witches continues today in communities ...... -
Aid worker calls for action to protect child "witches" from abuse
8 Apr 2009 ... and mentally abused for allegedly being sorcerers and witches. The results of being accused of witchcraft can be horrific: suspected witches are often beaten up and subjected to appalling treatment ...... -
Breaking the spell: responding to witchcraft accusations against children. Bussien, d'Ovidio, Graziani, McCreery Bunkers, Marfisim Ramaboea and Ross.
1 Jan 2011 ... Cases of children being harmed, abused or killed due to accusations of being a witch or for the ... centuries and was often linked to witch hunts that occurred in those times (Alston, 2009). ...... -
Seeking meaning: an anthropological and community-based approach to witchcraft accusations and their prevention in refugee situations. Julia Powles and Robert Deakin
24 May 2012 ... ... whose work it is to identify with some certainty the causes of misfortune and suspected witches. ... death by witchcraft (in one case it is alleged that the accused witch was killed, see Powles 2002). ...... -
Feature: For some Somali women opposing genital mutilation has a price
7 Jul 2003 ... GALKAYO, Somalia (UNHCR) - Hawa Aden has been called a witch. She and her women colleagues have been ... society. "They used to call me a witch before, now they call me 'aunt'," Hawa says with a smile. ...... -
Witchcraft allegations plague southern Chad's camps
25 Oct 2007 ... "They burnt my house and even though I swore on the Koran that I am not a witch, they wouldn't ... Two-thirds of the refugees are ethnic Fulbé/Peul, who recognize both the existence of witches and ...... -
Musical allows refugees to shine on Berlin stage
28 Nov 2017 ... villagers, dressed in white, are captured by the forces of the Little Witch, dressed in black. ... The musical has helped me.” Nastassja Selow, 14, plays the witch. “This has been so much fun,” ...... -
Displaced Mosul family denounce torture
10 Jan 2017 ... They told me they would not give me this gift, but said that one day I would be executed.” In another part of the prison, Zaineb, who was accused of being a witch, was forced to watch fellow female ...... -
Summary Record of the 483rd meeting held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, on Tuesday, 5 October 1993, at 10 a.m
11 Oct 1993 ... ... That absurd and incomprehensible manifestation of chauvinism could degenerate into a veritable witch hunt that bore comparison with the period between the wars when Europe had been beset by the evils ......