Gender Equality Ghana Project #23422

End Human Rights Abuses Against Alleged Witches

by Songtaba

End Human Rights Abuses Against Alleged Witches

Project Report | Aug 12, 2026
Restoring Hope, Dignity and Belonging

By Samadu Sayibu | Programme Manager

Dear Cherished Donors,

SONGTABA is pleased to share a powerful moment of hope and solidarity made possible through your generous support. As part of our unwavering commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of women affected by witchcraft accusations, we organized a special Mothers' day Celebration for women residing in the Kpatinga alleged witches' camp in Northern Ghana which still play host to 17 women accused of witchcraft. Therough Songtaba's reintegration program, a good number of these women were reintegrated from over 60 to the current 17 women. The event recognized the extraordinary resilience of women who have endured years of stigma, discrimination, displacement, and separation from their families, providing a safe and welcoming space where they felt valued, heard, and celebrated.

By bringing together women from the camp, traditional leaders, community members, and other key stakeholders, the celebration fostered dialogue, strengthened community acceptance, and challenged the harmful beliefs and discrimination that have marginalized these women for far too long. More than a social gathering, the event became a powerful expression of healing, recognition, and solidarity, reaffirming that every woman deserves dignity, respect, and protection.

Through dialogue, cultural performances, and shared meals, the women and the traditional leaders reflected on the need to end harmful practices associated with witchcraft accusations and promote peaceful coexistence within communities. The celebration also provided a unique opportunity for the women to openly share their experiences, aspirations, and hopes for the future. Many expressed a deep desire to reunite with their families and live free from fear, discrimination, and social exclusion.

One participant shared:

"Today, I feel remembered. For many years, I believed society had forgotten us, but this celebration has given me hope that one day I can return home with dignity."

Traditional leaders used the occasion to reaffirm their commitment to supporting the peaceful reintegration of women accused of witchcraft and to encourage their communities to reject violence, stigma, and exclusion. Their messages underscored the critical role that traditional leadership plays in transforming social norms and advancing the protection of human rights.

The event strengthened trust between community members and local leaders while creating space for honest conversations about reconciliation, acceptance, and the restoration of dignity. It also reinforced SONGTABA's commitment to working alongside communities, traditional authorities, government institutions, and development partners to advance lasting solutions that protect the rights of women affected by witchcraft accusations.

SONGTABA and its partners remains committed to strengthening community dialogue, supporting survivors, engaging traditional leaders, and advocating for legal and policy reforms that protect women from violence, stigma, discrimination, and all forms of human rights abuse. Together, we are helping to build communities where every woman can live in safety, dignity, and peace.

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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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