Good news round-up for September 2025
Spotlighting the positive actions happening around the world.
by INAWARA
03 October 2025
September 2025 saw a number of important initiatives and stories that featured advocacy against violence, resilience of survivors and activities to help raise awareness. Here we round up some of these good news stories.
Papua New Guinea
From PNG, we have two stories from amazing women who are actively working to combat sorcery accusation-related violence:
Human rights activist Monica Paulus is co-founder of both the ‘Highlands Women Human Rights Defenders Network’ and ‘Stop Sorcery Violence’. She shares her story in this short interview about her life and the struggles, hopes and her fight against sorcery accusation-related violence in Papua New Guinea.
Ruth Kissam, human rights activist and board president of Advancing PNG Leaders Network, talks to Hilda Wayne in this half-hour interview about her work fighting sorcery accusation-related violence and helping survivors to restore their lives.
Nigeria
A number of positive actions can be reported from Nigeria this month:
Human rights advocate Leo Igwe discusses the Advocacy for Alleged Witches’ first event held in Niger state to explore how more can be done to end witch hunts in Nigeria. The event included a theme of remembering the victims and survivors of witch hunts and ritual attacks. A roundtable discussion was held to specifically address the vulnerabilities of women and children subjected to these attacks.
In Nigeria, Bauchi State First Lady and Chairperson of the Bauchi State Action Committee on Gender-Based Violence, Hajiya (Dr) Aisha Bala Mohammed visited the 10-year-old victim of a brutal attack following accusations of witchcraft. As well as settling the victim’s medical bills, she condemned the attack, praised the police for their intervention and expressed concern about the rising levels of gender-based violence. She asked the public to support the work of the Committee.
Advocating for change and awareness, Leo Igwe has sent a letter to the Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Chinedu Onah to ask that ‘these vile and repulsive practices in Ohaukwu must stop. The Advocacy for Alleged Witches urges you to use your good office to end the abuses and ensure that perpetrators including those who make false accusations of “Igwo Nsi”, magical poisoning, killing and harming others are brought to justice.’
India
There has been some significant activity in prevention and awareness raising work happening in India:
The Nirantar Trust, Gender Resource Centre of the Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), along with some other organisations, convened a state-level consultation to assess the impact of The Bihar Prevention of Witch (Daain) Practices Act, 1999 in curbing witch-hunt violence. The participants included survivors who told their harrowing and heartfelt stories about their experiences and survivorship. As well as listening to their stories, the participants discussed how to advance collective action in preventing this violence.
A seminar held in India brought together experts to discuss what social actions are needed to put an end to violence against those accused of practising witchcraft. Vice-Chancellor of the Chanakya Law University, Faizan Mustafa, said: ‘Law itself cannot bring social change. GDP growth is not an indicator of societal transformation. We must struggle to shift thinking on witches and witchcraft, as it is not merely a political issue.’
Ghana
The Anti-Witchcraft Accusations Bill 2025 has been reintroduced to the Ghanaian parliament. There is a swirl of activity around this, in the hope that this time it will become law:
In Ghana, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Human Rights, in collaboration with Amnesty International Ghana, undertook a three-day working visit to alleged witches’ camps in Ghana’s Northern Region. They wanted to assess living conditions and advocate for the speedy passage of the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2025, popularly known as the Anti-Witchcraft Accusations Bill.
Following the visit, survivors of witchcraft accusations appealed to Parliament to pass the Anti-Witchcraft Accusations Bill, telling parliamentary members that their living conditions continue to be harsh and degrading, and that they lack access to healthcare, education and livelihoods. They seek legal intervention to restore their dignity and secure a safe future.
The Ghanaian Human Rights Select Committee of Parliament gave its assurance that it would work with Parliament and government to reintroduce the Anti-Witchcraft Accusations Bill 2025. They hope for its swift passage into law and subsequent assent for it to become law.
Zambia
A case in which two Zambian men were convicted for ‘using witchcraft’ with the intent to harm the country’s president has been headline news for September:
Following the conviction, human rights advocate Leo Igwe put out a call for the decision to be appealed and overturned. He stated: ‘The sentencing of these men is embarrassing; it is a judicial charade that illustrates how the judicial system in Zambia is out of step with 21st-century norms’.
You can also check out Keith Silika’s post on this affair in INAWARA’s blog.
