Recently in Malawi, an elderly woman was accused of “bewitching” her daughter to death. Two men, intent on punishing the women for being an alleged “witch,” forced her to bury the body. They beat her and then buried the woman alive, who survived because she was rescued by her sister and daughters.
All over the world, people who are elderly, widowed, disabled, and children, are accused of witchcraft or being witches. Most people assume witchcraft accusations are a part of history, but sadly this behavior continues in the present day. This report examines the human rights instruments that address this kind of persecution and recommends actions be taken to prevent further violations of human rights.
CGF-AWP-Report-1252022