Witchcraft Beliefs and Human Rights: Past, Present and Future Perspectives
Witchcraft Beliefs and Human Rights:
Past, Present and Future Perspectives
Lancaster University, UK
10-11 January 2019
Background
In September 2017 the Witchcraft and Human Rights Information Network (WHRIN), the UN Independent Expert on Albinism and Lancaster University organized the first ever UN Expert Workshop on Witchcraft and Human Rights at the UN Human Rights Council. The workshop brought together UN Experts, members of civil society and academics to discuss the violence associated with such beliefs and practices, and groups that are particularly vulnerable.
The workshop highlighted the various manifestations of witchcraft-related beliefs and practices, including accusations, stigma, and ritual killings, identifying good practice in combatting them. It marked an important step towards mainstreaming the issue into the UN Human Rights system, whilst providing impetus and practical guidance to the numerous international and regional mechanisms, academics and civil society actors that have been working to raise awareness and understanding of these challenging issues.
Objectives
The conference aims to build upon the positive momentum gathered at the UN workshop by bringing academics, faith leaders, civil society actors, survivors and UN Experts together to further develop understanding of the links between historic witchcraft beliefs and persecution, present day conceptualizations of witchcraft beliefs and practices, and potential strategies to prevent further human rights abuses in the future.
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