NGO Reports: Human Rights

WHRIN Releases Latest UN Report

Witchcraft Accusations and Persecution; Muti Murders and Human Sacrifice:Harmful Beliefs and Practices Behind a Global Crisis in Human Rights

This report was specifically compiled for the United Nations Expert Workshop on Witchcraft and Human Rights, in Geneva on 21st and 22nd September 2017.

The report outlines a study of all recorded online cases of human rights abuses linked to beliefs in witchcraft, muti and human sacrifice in 2016.  It aims to provide some background understanding into the work carried out by the United Nations on these issues to date; outline the current scale of the abuses of human rights that are taking place across the world due such harmful beliefs and practices; identify emerging trends and, finally, act as a call to action for all UN, Government and civil society agencies working on these issues to redouble their efforts to develop solutions to prevent further abuses from taking place.

The full report can be downloaded HERE

Contemporary Practices of Witch Hunting: A Report on Social trends and the interface with law

Many states such as Jharkhand, Bihar and Orissa, have had concerns expressed about the targeting of women as ‘witches’, or what is widely called ‘witch hunting’. This report addresses social trends, norms, and acceptance of making women targets for such accusation and persecution. It discusses the consequences of “witch-hunting” and laws that have been put into place to combat it.

See full article here

Sorcery and death squads. Transformations of state, sovereignty, and violence in postcolonial Mozambique. (2009)

Mozambique norm and standard has been reported to support “summary executions by police” and “police killings” in all major cities in Mozambique. Bertelsen explains the correlation between state and violence, with accompanying human rights violations that are currently taking place within Mozambique. 

See full article here

21st Century Witchcraft Accusations

Being accused of witchcraft, black magic or other forms of evil, can result in serious violations of human rights including, at the most extreme, torture and death. This happens all around the world. Women, children, the disabled and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to these forms of abuse.

See full article here

Witch-hunts in South Africa – Advocacy against Human Rights Abuses Committed as a Result of Accusations of Witchcraft and Violent Witch-hunts, 2014

The vast majority of victims of accusation of witchcraft, both deceased and still living, in South Africa have been and are being denied their legal right to all of these constitutional rights. Accusations of witchcraft are not condoned under the constitutional rights to freedom of religion, belief and opinion, or expression, as incitement to propaganda for war; incitement of imminent violence; or advocacy of hatred based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion, that constitutes incitement to cause harm, is not protected under South African law. Accusations of witchcraft and resulting witch-hunts constitute a series of clearly identified crimes under both international and national law.

See full report here

CORI Thematic Report Nigeria: Gender and Age December 2012

Country of Origin Information (COI) is required within Refugee Status Determination (RSD) to provide objective evidence on conditions in refugee producing countries to support decision making. Quality information about human rights, legal provisions, politics, culture, society, religion and healthcare in countries of origin is essential in establishing whether or not a person’s fear of persecution is well founded.

CORI Country Reports are designed to aid decision making within RSD. They are not intended to be general reports on human rights conditions. They serve a specific purpose, collating legally relevant information on conditions in countries of origin, pertinent to the assessment of claims for asylum. Categories of COI included within this report are based on the most common issues arising from asylum applications made on the basis of gender and age by Nigerian nationals. This report covers events up to 10 December 2012.

See full report here

The rights of older people in Peru – HelpAge research Summary 2012

Information on the extent to which older people enjoy their human rights in Peru is rarely available or included in the State’s reports to human rights monitoring and accountability mechanisms.

In response to this lack of data, HelpAge International carried out a survey in 2012 with 100 women and men over the age of50 in Peru. This summary illustrates the key findings of the survey. These findings provide evidence on gaps in the protection of older people’s human rights and reinforce the need for national and international action, mechanisms and processes to ensure that the human rights of older people are better addressed.

See full report here

 

The rights of older people in Mozambique – HelpAge Research summary 2012

Information on the extent to which older people enjoy their human rights in Mozambique is rarely available or included in the State’s reports to human rights monitoring and accountability mechanisms.

In response to this lack of data, HelpAge International carried out a survey in 2012 with 104 women and men over the age
of 50 in Mozambique. This summary illustrates the key findings of the survey. These findings provide evidence of gaps in the protection of older people’s human rights and reinforce the need for national and international action, mechanisms and processes to ensure that the human rights of older people are better addressed.

See full report here

Hunting Witches – World Policy Journal Article by WHRIN

Article by Gary Foxcroft, Executive Director, WHRIN. Read full article here 

WHRIN 2014 Country Report: Witchcraft Accusations and Persecution in Nepal

Joint report with Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales and Forum for Protection of People’s Rights (PPR Nepal). Launched at National Women’s Commission in Kathmandu, Nepal, April 2014. See full report here

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