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Summary: A new report produced by Save the Children's programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) highlights the issue of children accused of witchcraft. 'The Invention of Child Witches' brings together knowledge gathered by the programme and its partners, acquired through field visits, evaluations and direct work with pastors from the revivalist churches, communities and parents who have accused their children of witchcraft. The report covers the following issues: The crucial role of the family Parents are deeply distressed by what they believe to be witchcraft and, first and foremost, fear for their own well-being. At this point they have three alternatives: to cast the child out onto the street or put them in an institution; to have the child ‘delivered’ or to refute the allegations against their child. The role of the revivalist churches and the State It is clear that the different religious and magical movements, whether Catholic, Pentecostal, African or fetishist, fuel hatred and violence against children. Most of the churches operate on a profit-making basis and nearly all of those practicing exorcism will put on a real performance for the purposes of financial gain. What is more, and with very few exceptions, when it comes to exorcism, they tend to target “clients” and not the faithful as you might expect. These churches demonstrate the corruption of State officials, who draw clear profit from them in the form of illegal payments. On the other hand, the churches also operate as reference points for families who have neither access to, nor confidence in, basic or social services. Recommendations
Children are stigmatised for many reasons and the family dynamic and attitude of the parents or guardians play a decisive role in this. The severe financial pressure faced by parents and the sudden deaths that can occur (often AIDS or malaria-related) cause crisis in the family structure. The combination of external threats faced by families pushes parents or guardians to negatively magnify a child’s individual characteristics (such as disability, bad behaviour, changes due to puberty or even the mere fact of being in the wrong place at the wrong time) to the point where they see them as being signs of witchcraft.
The final blow is delivered by the revivalist churches, which confirm or ‘discover’ signs of witchcraft.
Our main recommendations centre on four issues:
1 - Continuing and strengthening the awareness raising work that has already begun with religious leaders.
2 - Increasing State regulation of the way in which the churches operate and creating mechanisms for monitoring churches that may be mistreating and abusing children and adults accused of witchcraft.
3 - Strengthening work with parents through discussion and awareness raising groups such as the “parents’ discussion groups”.
4 - Increasing knowledge of violence against children as a first step towards an action plan to prevent violence. This programme must, however, form part of the national strategy for social protection.