NGO Reports: Children

Working to abolish Child Sacrifice in Uganda

A report into the practice of child sacrifice and kidnapping in Uganda, which has slowly turned into a clandestine business involving traditional healers and business men. See full report here.

Through albino eyes: the plight of albino people in Africa’s Great Lakes region and a Red Cross Response

A report conducted by the Red Cross looking into the plight of albinos living in Burundi and Tanzania. Full report here.

Children Accused of Witchcraft: An anthropological study of contemporary practices in Africa

This report addresses the issue of children who are victims of violence and mistreatment due to local beliefs, representations and practices, in particular, relating to witchcraft.  The present document reveals and analyzes the diversity and
of these phenomena ‐ often falsely associated with “African tradition” ‐ related to beliefs in witchcraft and the “mystical” world. Using examples from sub‐Saharan Africa, the study clarifies the basis for certain social practices that are wholly or partially misunderstood by western observers.

Targeting child protection agencies, the report provides guidance on effective child protection interventions. See full report here.

Combating Child Sacrifice in Uganda

Report by Advocates for Human Dignity defining and assessing the scale of child sacrifice in Uganda. See here. 

Protecting children from harmful practices in plural legal systems

With a special focus on Africa, the following report addresses law reform in countries with plural legal systems that combine national codified law with informal and unwritten customary and religious law, to support the development of the CRC/CEDAW General Comment/General Recommendation on harmful practices. Full report here.

Child Sacrifice in Uganda

Comprehensive report by Jubilee Campaign and Kyampisi Childcare Ministries looking at the scale of child sacrifice in Uganda. See here for full report

Report on Child Witchcraft Beliefs and Accusations in Southern Malawi

This report is based on research done on behalf of Stichting Afrika Zending and Across Outreach in Malawi in order to provide relevant information concerning child witchcraft accusations in the Southern African nation. The main aim of this research is to gain a better understanding of child witchcraft beliefs and accusations in Malawi and to contribute to more effective intervention on behalf of vulnerable children and other vulnerable groups in Malawi. For full report see here. 

UK: Vulnerability and Control of African Child Victims of Trafficking – ECPAT

There are various factors that make children vulnerable to being trafficked. These include, amongst other things, poverty, gender inequality, conflict, lack of education and social exclusion. This paper highlights the experience of the vulnerability and control of African children being trafficked to the UK. In particular, it looks at children being trafficked once they have been labelled a ‘child witch’. This paper also looks at specific control mechanisms used by traffickers to maintain children’s dependence and prevent their escape. Please click here for more details.

UK: What is Witchcraft Abuse? Africans Unite against Child Abuse (AFRUCA)

AFRUCA has produced the “Safeguarding African Children in the UK” series of publications to highlight different safeguarding issues and to assist members of the African community in the UK to know more about different forms of child abuse and how to identify the signs so that children can be safe and be better protected. The “What is Witchcraft Abuse?” publication is one in the series.

Please click here to see the report.

DRC: The Invention of Child Witches in the Democratic Republic of Congo – Save the Children

This report summarises Save the Children’s knowledge on the issue of children accused of witchcraft  in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The information and analyses presented are all drawn from various research studies as well as from the experience their programme has gained through the reunification and reintegration of almost 2,000 children in the  cities of Kinshasa and Mbuyi-Mayi.
The greatest source of information, however, was  Save the Children’s direct work with pastors from the revivalist churches, communities and parents who have accused their children of witchcraft. Please click here for the full report.