Charles Rukwengye of APORENET explains the findings of a five-year programme understanding and tackling ritual abuse in African communities
Section: Harmful Practices
Child abuse linked to faith or belief: national action plan
This action plan is intended to help raise awareness of child abuse linked to faith or belief and to encourage practical steps to be taken to prevent it. The plan has been developed through a partnership of the National Working Group between the central government and local statutory partners, faith leaders, voluntary sector organisations and the Metropolitan Police.
Harmful traditional practices affecting women and girls (Factsheet)
Factsheet containing information on harmful traditional practices including FGM, Early/Forced Marriage, Son Preference, Honor Crimes and Violence or Murder related to Dowry Payment.
Breast Ironing: a harmful practice that has been silenced for to long.
A report by Gender Empowerment and Development, focussing on the prevalence and context of Breast Ironing in Cameroon.
Violating children’s rights: Harmful practices based on tradition, culture, religion or superstition
Report on harmful practices against children based on tradition, culture, religion or superstition. It looks at the definition and scope of harmful practices from a human rights perspective, and provides examples of legal and other measures already taken to challenge and eliminate them. Makes recommendations for action by states, UN and UN-related agencies, INGOs, NGOs, national human rights institutions and others.
Witchcraft, Accusations & Persecutions in Nepal: 2014 Country Report
This report, the first in a series of WHRIN country reports, focuses on the widespread violations that take place in Nepal due to the belief in Boksi (witches). At this crucial time in the evolution of the Nepalese nation state, the objective of this report is to make an important contribution in the field of human rights. Through raising awareness of this issue, we hope to be able to work with the Nepalese Government and civil society organisations to develop the solutions required to put a stop to the torture and killing of women in the name of ‘combatting witchcraft’
Where has breast ironing/flattening been recorded to happen? (Map)
This map highlights the countries where research has shown Breast Ironing to be preavelent. Even though some countries are not highlighted, this does not mean Breast Ironing cannot happen there. Breast Ironing can happen anywhere in the world. This data is taken from Understanding Breast “Ironing” A study of methods, motivations and outcomes of breast flattening practices in Cameroon, Tapscott. R, 2012.
A rapid literature review of evidence on child abuse linked to faith or belief
The Childhood Wellbeing Research Centre (CWRC), based at the Institute of Education, was commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) to conduct a small-scale review of previous research on ‘child abuse linked to faith or belief’. This will be used to help inform future policy in the area.
The Children in Need Census 2016/17
This report from the Department for Education, contains information regarding children referred to and assessed by children’s social services for the year ending 31 March 2017. This includes cases where FGM and Abuse Linked to Faith and Belief were identified.
Witchcraft Accusations and Persecution; Muti Murders and Human Sacrifice: Harmful Beliefs and Practices Behind a Global Crisis in Human Rights
This report has been specifically compiled for the United Nations Expert Workshop on Witchcraft and Human Rights, in Geneva on 21st and 22nd September 2017. 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.