Coalition urges President to assent to Anti-Witchcraft Accusation Bill

The Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations, comprising Amnesty International, ActionAid, and Oxfam Ghana, has called on the government to urgently assent to the Anti-Witchcraft Accusation Bill.

The coalition made this appeal during a press conference at the Christ the King Catholic Church in Accra on Tuesday, November 19.

The bill, introduced by private members of parliament, seeks to provide legal protection for vulnerable individuals, particularly women, who are often victims of baseless witchcraft accusations.

Rev. Professor John Azumah, the convenor of the coalition, emphasized the importance of the bill in safeguarding vulnerable groups from unjust treatment.

“Turning this bill into law will offer legal protection for vulnerable individuals who face wrongful accusations, maltreatment, or are driven away from their homes and loved ones,” he said.

He added that without such legal safeguards, women accused of witchcraft are left defenceless and at the mercy of societal prejudices.

Rev. Prof. Azumah highlighted that accusations often stem from baseless claims, such as dreams, which are then used to justify harm against these women.

“The bill will serve as a tool to educate the public on the harmful effects of witchcraft accusations and act as a deterrent to such behavior. Without this legal instrument, it will be challenging to address these harmful practices,” he noted.

He also pointed out that younger generations, particularly in northern Ghana, view witchcraft accusations as outdated and called for a cultural shift where people take responsibility for their problems instead of blaming others. He argued that if the bill becomes law, accusers would be required to present evidence in court, turning baseless accusations into prosecutable offences.

“When someone is accused of being a witch, they face social ostracism, economic loss, and even rejection by their own children. This amounts to defamation of the highest order,” he said.

Adding her voice, Beatrice Addae, Women’s Rights and Campaigns Manager at ActionAid Ghana, urged the President to act swiftly. She described the parliamentary passage of the bill as a critical step toward addressing witchcraft accusations, a form of gender-based violence rooted in entrenched gender biases and systemic inequalities.

“These accusations disproportionately target women, reflecting deeper structural issues such as gender inequality, poverty, lack of social protection, and neglect,” she explained. She noted that in times of crisis—crop failures, illnesses, or unexpected deaths—women are often scapegoated, facing brutal attacks, social ostracism, and confinement to inhumane “witch camps” where they are stripped of their dignity and basic human rights.

Mrs. Addae stressed that their advocacy aligns with the upcoming global campaign, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which begins on November 25. This year’s focus is on eradicating violence against women and girls, including harmful practices like witchcraft accusations.

The coalition reiterated its call for justice for all victims of witchcraft accusations while urging the President to assent to the bill to end this persistent form of gender-based violence and protect the rights of the most vulnerable.