The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr. Jon Benjamin, has called for the total closure of all witch camps in the country.
According
to Mr. Benjamin, there is no such thing as a witch in the 21st century;
hence, there was no need for the establishment of the camps to
accommodate people who are alleged to be witches.
Speaking at the
launch of the Ghana Domestic Research Report in Accra, the High
Commissioner expressed worry about the treatment some women go through
after being labeled witches.
“Personally, I believe in the 21st
Century, it’s time to say there is no such thing as a witch and to decry
the practice of using such a term to dehumanize vulnerable women,” he
said.
This practice, he explained, is a form of human right abuse
and must be kicked against by all and sundry so as to create a safe
environment for development.
Mr. Benjamin lauded the effort of
the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for their role in
ensuring that the vulnerable are protected in society.
He added
that, the United Kingdom (UK) committed to fighting against all forms of
human right violations, and pledged his country’s support in fighting
against gender based violence in Ghana.
He further suggested that
strict laws must be implemented and individuals who infringe on the
rights of the vulnerable in society, severely punished to serve as
deterrent to others.
The high Commissioner urged traditional and
religious leaders to actively participate in the fight against human
rights abuse, adding that, “they have to play a key part in combating
this social menace by stating loudly and publicly that forms of violence
are wrong.”
“For the UK, tackling violence against women and
girls are of high priority because it presents a major obstacle of
ending gender inequality,” he added.
The Ministry has disbanded a
number of witch camps, particularly, in the three northern regions as
part of efforts to end human right abuses.
However, the Ministry
has been asked to close down all witch camps across the country by the
end of next year as directed by the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women.
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