The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has engaged opinion leaders, traditional authorities, women and youth groups of the Garichefong Electoral Area in the Gushegu Municipality of the Northern Region on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and access to justice for women accused of witchcraft.
About 40 people attended the event, which was aimed at developing workable suggestions to halt SGBV and accusations of witchcraft against elderly women in communities in the municipality in the Northern Region.
The event was organised by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) with financial support from Crossroads International of Canada, a leading Canadian volunteer cooperation agency advancing equality for women and girls.
Mr Lambert Luguniah, the Head, International Cooperation, CHRAJ, addressing participants at Garichefong, said witchcraft accusations were associated with negative effects such as discrimination, stigmatisation, displacement amongst others,
which affected the well-being of the victim.
He said the country’s laws frowned on witchcraft accusations and called on stakeholders, traditional authorities, religious leaders, and municipal assemblies to enact by-laws to protect women against SGBV and such claims.
He also advised them to use social gatherings to highlight the negative effects of witchcraft accusations against elderly women and the need for all to coexist peacefully.
Mr Luguniah said CHRAJ was concerned about SGBV and witchcraft accusations against elderly women and would do its part to protect the victims and ensure justice for them.
Source: Ghana News Agency
