Protecting Children: Advocacy Against Witch-Hunts in Africa

There are burning tears flooding my eyes, a hard lump at the back of my throat and a terrible nausea churning within the pit of my stomach-- must be another article on the horrors befalling innocent children due to wild allegations of witchcraft in Africa. 

Witch Children
Photo courtesy of IRIN

How a mother could ever turn away her own child because of the fear-driven [or more likely profit-seeking] rantings of a village's pastor/prophet is well beyond any explanation that I [mother of two] can possibly fathom.  

Then again, I was born into a culture with laws protecting against the abuse of a child, regardless of the reasons supporting one's intent to harm.  I was not born into a culture where any and all characteristics of uniqueness spark such an unsettling nervousness within others that they would set out to beat, burn, attack and often kill such anomalies.  Goddess help them should they see triplets born -- the whole "wicked" country will be burned to the ground!  

Pagan Rights Alliance

It is disheartening that despite advancements akin to those only seen in Science Fiction plots of days past, we still do not have the capability to calm the fears and cease the resulting irrational actions of human populations. 

Fears of things unknown are driving entire communities to turn against their youngest members.  No child should face abandonment, torture or death at the hands of those who, by unspoken natural law, are bound to keep them safe.  

Has anyone yet to read what the governments of Africa are doing to halt the witch-hunt frenzy occurring on their continent?  Prompt legislation is needed to ensure that this horrific treatment of children is deemed punishable by law.  

Thank the gods for the small charity organizations working near these "front lines" -- finding outcast children and caring for them in group homes.  Should anyone have a donation link for such an organization, please provide it in the comments!!