Ghana: The Politics of Abolishing Witch Camps in Ghana

The government of Ghana has announced plans to close down the ‘witch’ camps in the northern part of the country.

This is not the first time the government of Ghana has proposed closing the witch camps as a measure to eradicate witchcraft-related abuse in the country. In 2011, the Deputy Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs Hajia Hawawu Boya Gariba announced plans to close down the camps and reintegrate the victims with their families. She described the existence and operation of a witch camp as ‘an indictment on the conscience of the society’. These declarations are not unconnected with pressures on state authorities.

The government of Ghana has recently been under local and international pressure from human rights groups and development agencies to take action against witch hunting.  Read more here