Ms. Genevieve Partington, Country Director of Amnesty International Ghana, has issued a strong call to Parliament to urgently pass the reintroduced Anti-Witchcraft Bill to outlaw harmful accusations and brutal attacks against alleged witches.
Ms. Partington expressed cautious optimism that the bill, once passed, would receive presidential assent.
“I am quite happy that this bill, once it is passed, will be signed into law. So far, we have not gotten any pushback from the government. They say if it passes in Parliament, they will sign it,” she stated.
Anti-witchcraft bill
The Anti-Witchcraft Bill seeks to criminalise witchcraft accusations, establish legal protections for victims, and provide mechanisms for justice and reintegration. The bill is seen as a critical step toward safeguarding vulnerable persons, particularly women, and promoting social cohesion.
Ms. Partington, in an interview, did not mince words in condemning the government’s longstanding neglect of victims living in so-called “witch camps.” She called for immediate intervention to provide safe and humane living conditions for residents of these camps, who continue to suffer in squalor.
“The women in these camps live in harsh and inhumane conditions. They lack access to basic services like healthcare, clean water, and sanitation. Successive governments have failed them—failing to ensure food, shelter, and dignity,” she lamented.
She criticised the state’s failure to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of witchcraft-related violence, saying this negligence has emboldened attackers and led to a cycle of impunity.
“The government must act now—not only by passing the bill but by actively protecting victims and holding their abusers accountable,” Ms. Partington urged.