Gender Equality Ghana Project #23422

End Human Rights Abuses Against Alleged Witches

by Songtaba

End Human Rights Abuses Against Alleged Witches

Project Report | Apr 14, 2026
Towards The End of The Road

By Abdul Kasiru Shani | Head of Programs, Policy and Campaigns

Executive Director at the presidential encounter

Dear Donors,

Songtaba is pleased to share a significant milestone in the fight to end the abuses faced by women accused of witchcraft. We remain committed to promoting the rights, dignity, and protection of vulnerable groups, particularly women subjected to stigma, displacement, and violence due to witchcraft accusations. Through advocacy, community engagement, and strategic partnerships, we continue to lead efforts aimed at ending harmful practices and dismantling alleged witches' camps, grounded in a vision of reintegration, social justice, and the restoration of dignity.

During the reporting period, Songtaba participated in a high-level stakeholder engagement at the Presidency with key government actors, civil society organizations, and development partners to address key national issues, which include witchcraft accusations and related human rights violations. This engagement elevated the voices of survivors and strengthened multi-stakeholder collaboration, marking a critical step in advancing legal and policy reforms to protect marginalized populations. Songtaba did not miss this opportunity but be to remind the president of the commitment and the road of passing a law to criminalize witchcraft accusations in Ghana

We are happy to report that His Excellency John Dramani Mahama expressed strong support for the passage of the Anti-Witchcraft Bill, stating: "I am committed to ensuring that this bill becomes law once it is passed by Parliament, as part of our collective responsibility to protect the rights and dignity of all Ghanaians, especially the most vulnerable." This assurance signals renewed political will and represents a major breakthrough in addressing the injustices faced by women accused of witchcraft.

This development reinforces ongoing advocacy efforts by Songtaba and its partners, providing renewed momentum toward achieving sustainable solutions to gender based violence. Central to this is the reintegration of affected women into their communities and efforts to eliminate the root causes of witchcraft accusations. It highlights the importance of collaboration between government, civil society, traditional authorities, and communities in challenging harmful social norms and promoting a culture of human rights and inclusion.

Songtaba remains committed to this cause and will continue to engage at both national and community levels, strengthening advocacy, supporting survivors, and fostering partnerships to ensure that no woman faces stigma, violence, or exclusion based on witchcraft accusations.

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Oct 15, 2025
From Kukuo Camp to Mecca

By Samadu Sayibu | Programs Manager

Dear Cherished Donor!

It is yet another cycle of update giving time and SONGTABA expresses its sincere gratitude to its esteemed donors for their unwavering support in advancing the rights and dignity of vulnerable women. Your steadfast and commitment has enabled transformative stories, such as Adamu’s, to be shared, highlighting resilience and hope.

At 69 years old, Adamu has faced both pain and triumph in equal measure. Once banished from her home community of Waribugu and forced to seek refuge at the Kukuo alleged camp, she endured years of deprivation, loneliness, and stigma. Her life seemed destined to be marked by exclusion and despair. Yet, through determination, the support from Songtaba and donors, her story took a remarkable turn.

With renewed hope and dignity, Adamu’s perseverance bore fruit when she finally realized her lifelong dream of embarking on a pilgrimage to Mecca. This journey was more than a spiritual obligation; it marked her full restoration as a valued member of society, symbolizing healing, acceptance, and divine grace.

What made Adamu’s journey even more extraordinary was that it defied a long-held myth: the belief that anyone accused of witchcraft could never reach the 'holy land'. By completing her pilgrimage to Mecca, Adamu shattered this myth, demonstrating through her faith and courage that stigma and superstition hold no power over truth and divine mercy.

From the crumbling, rain-soaked thatch and mud rooms of the Kukuo camp to the sacred grounds of Mecca, Adamu’s transformation stands as a beacon of hope. Her story reminds us that with compassion, community support, and resilience, even those cast aside can rise again with dignity and faith.

"When I stepped onto the holy grounds of Mecca, I felt years of pain, rejection, and sorrow wash away with every tear that fell. The weight I had carried since the day I was called a witch seemed to lift from my heart. In that sacred place, I found peace, something I had not known in decades. I prayed not only for myself but for those who wronged me, asking Allah to forgive them as I too chose to forgive."

"For the first time in many years, I felt whole again not as a victim of accusation and exile, but as a woman of worth, faith, and grace. It was a journey of pain turned into purpose and of rejection transformed into redemption."

This was made possible through your support which facilitated her reintegration back home and there her children came together to sponsor her trip to symbolise their unfication with their mother

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Jun 13, 2025
Restoring Dignity and Celebrating Resilience

By SAMADU SAYIBU | PROGRAM OFFICER

As we reflect on this quarter's progress, SONGTABA extend our appreciation to our valued donors. Your support continues to transform the realities faced by marginalized women. Your generosity has enabled us to protect the rights abuses against alledge witches and restore their smiles and dignity.

In a demonstration of solidarity, Songtaba celebrated this year’s Mother’s Day with women accused of witchcraft at the Gnani alleged witches camp. This celebration was a powerful affirmation of worth, love, and inclusion. These courageous women, many of whom have endured years of stigma, abuse, and abandonment, were honored not only as survivors but as mothers, embodying strength and wisdom.

The day was filled with communal meals, storytelling, music, and the distribution of essential items, creating a joyful atmosphere where laughter and healing could flourish. It was a moving experience, bringing light to lives that have known darkness and reaffirming Songtaba commitment to restoring the humanity and value of every woman, regardless of her past.

As part of the celebration, some women expressed their pain and urgency, calling on national leadership to act. They demanded that the President sign the Anti-Witchcraft Bill into law, a long-awaited piece of legislation that could protect them and future generations from abuse. One woman stated during the gathering:

"We are suffering. We want the President to sign the Anti-Witchcraft Bill. We are tired of living in fear and being treated like we are not human."

These words reflect the daily reality for many women accused of witches and underscore the urgent nature of SONGTABA and its partners' work.

Thanks to you, our generous donors, these stories of transformation are possible. Your compassion is turning despair into dignity, isolation into belonging, and silence into celebration. We are truly grateful for your partnership in this journey. Together, we are changing lives and helping these women reclaim their rightful place in society, with strength, pride, and hope for a better future.

Songtaba approach to putting an end to this long age phenomenon is one of transformational in the sense that we engage at various levels and buiding a community of change agents and champions. Our transformative approache is central in the engagement of custodians of the culture and traditions on how to transform some of the norms to fit with current context and legal and human righteousness regime. Songtaba also continue to build a strong advocacy on the need to improve the legal regime with very clear and specific legislations that will criminalise the practice.

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