OHCHR invites Member States and other relevant stakeholders, including the United Nations Secretariat and relevant bodies, representatives of subregional and regional organizations, international human rights mechanisms, national human rights institutions, and non-governmental organizations to provide written inputs to help OHCHR to prepare a study on the situation of the violations and abuses of human rights rooted in harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks, as well as stigmatization.

Structure of inputs and key questions

1. Measures to ensure the elimination of harmful practices amounting to human rights violations related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks
   1. What measures have been put in place, including legal and policy ones, to ensure the elimination of harmful practices amounting to human rights violations related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks, as well as stigmatization?
   2. What measures have been undertaken to ensure that no one is deprived of the right to life, liberty or security of person because of religion or belief, and that no one is subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, or arbitrary arrest or detention on the account of accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks?
   3. What measures have been put in place to ensure equal access to justice, including effective remedy, as well as psychosocial support, rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors?
2. Accountability
   1. What measures have been put in place to bring to justice all perpetrators of human rights violations related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks in compliance with applicable international law?
   2. Are there comprehensive accountability frameworks that go beyond criminal justice and courts?
   3. What measures have been put in place to ensure the full, effective and meaningful participation of victims, persons in vulnerable situations, including women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons and persons with albinism, as well as traditional and religious leaders, and faith-based actors in all stages of decision-making processes regarding elaboration and implementation of accountability measures at all levels?
3. Effective protection of all persons, particularly persons in vulnerable situations, including women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons and persons with albinism
   1. What kind of measures have been put in place to prevent widespread discrimination, stigma, social exclusion and forced displacement experienced as a result of witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks?
   2. What kind of measures, including safe shelters, psychosocial support and rehabilitation services, have been undertaken to ensure effective protection of victims of human rights violations rooted in harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks?
   3. What kind of initiatives have been organized, focusing on, inter alia, gender equality, education, health, housing, livelihood, women’s autonomy and decision-making, community mobilization and awareness raising, to prevent human rights violations rooted in harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks, particularly against persons in vulnerable situations, including women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons and persons with albinism?
   4. Have you analysed human rights violations rooted in harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks, including key drivers, aggravating factors, such as unequal access to resources, poverty and socio-economic situations, climate change, humanitarian settings? If yes, what were the key findings?
4. Data collection
   1. Have you collected disaggregated data, based on gender, age, disability, ethnicity, religion etc. about human rights violations and abuses rooted in harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks, as well as stigmatization? How such data is collected? Please share available disaggregated data on the phenomenon.
5. Challenges and opportunities
   1. What have been the key challenges to prevent and address human rights violations and abuses rooted in harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks, as well as stigmatization?
   2. Have you identified some promising practices in this regard?
   3. What kind of further action could be undertaken by existing mechanisms at the United Nations for the elimination of harmful practices amounting to human rights violations related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks, as well as stigmatization?