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You¡¯re invited: A visual reckoning with silenced human rights abuses

Held in conjunction with the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law  conference, this powerful photographic exhibition brings into view a global human rights crisis that has long been pushed to the margins of international legal concern.

Accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks continue to result in serious and often brutal harms in many parts of the world ¨C ranging from social exclusion and family separation to torture, mutilation and killings. These violations disproportionately affect women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities. Yet their stories and lives often remain unheard, dismissed or forgotten.

Curated by the NGO , the exhibition features 20 evocative photographs, including prize-winning entries, from a global competition. The images do not portray violence; rather, they offer glimpses into the lives of those affected, capturing moments of fear and resilience, joy and grief, ritual and memory. Through images of children, women, the elderly, sons, daughters, siblings, parents and communities, the exhibition honours the complexity of human responses: sorrow, survival, resistance, hope.

Together, these photographs are a visual act of remembrance. They affirm that those harmed by witchcraft accusations are not forgotten or voiceless ¨C they are seen, their lives are valued and their agency matters. Their right to safety, dignity and healing must be recognised.

This exhibition aligns with the United Nations Human Rights Council¡¯s Resolution A/HRC/RES/47/8, passed in 2021, which calls for the elimination of harmful practices related to witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks. The resolution emphasises the importance of distinguishing between belief and harm, and urges states and civil society to act.

Having been exhibited in India, the UK, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea and the USA, this visual journey now comes to Australia. It offers an invitation to reflect, to remember, and to stand in solidarity with those seeking justice and healing. INAWARA¡¯s Director, Professor , will open the exhibition and share insights on the ongoing global work in this area.

Join this event to bear witness, to question what international law overlooks or excludes, and to be part of a growing movement to end these abuses.

Photographs can be viewed before and after the launch event, during regular business hours, between 1 ¨C 7 July.

This event is in-person only. Registration is not required for in-person attendance as neither the ANU nor ACT Health conduct contact tracing.

If you require accessibility accommodations or a visitor Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan please email regnet.communications@anu.edu.au.

Image credit: A young girl whose mother, father, and grandmother have been accused of sorcery hides her face in the settlements outside Goroka, Papua New Guinea, by first prize winner, Adam Browne.