Winners have emerged in the 2022 Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI) award in recognition of brevity and service to duty in protecting persons accused of witchcraft.
The winners of the 2022 Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI) Award are:
- Cross River State investigative news outfit, CrossRiverWatch
- Child Protection Network (CPN)
- Hit 95.9 FM Calabar
- Coalition of Youth Serving Non-Governmental Organizations and Individuals, Lawrence Igbudu Rehabilitation/Orphanage Home, Infant Jesus Orphanage and Ms. Ege Ebe Ukara, the Chairperson, CPN Akamkpa.
The award, the brainchild of Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, BRCI, an organization that is working to end witchcraft branding and the abuse of children, is “meant to appreciate these persons and organization for their support” against witchcraft branding and child protection, said James Ibor, co-founder of BRCI.
Ibor who was speaking at an interactive meeting between service providers and survivors of witchcraft branding and some of their family members in Calabar said CrossRiverWatch has been a dependable partner in the rescue of alleged witches and that “they have never for once asked us for money nor told us they are busy whenever we called”.
Ibor added that the objective of the meeting is to create a forum for survivors and families to share experiences, to better understand their struggles and how it affects their everyday life, to give survivors tips on how to handle stigmatization, and also to recognize the contributions of some community anti-witch-hunt campaigners in Cross River State.
Also speaking, Dr. Leo Igwe of the Advocacy for Alleged Witches, AfAW, said witchcraft branding is rooted in the exploitation of fear for ulterior motives, adding that it is a practice that has claimed lives and needs to end.
Dr. Leo encouraged those working in the space to close ranks and not give up until the menace was eradicated.
The event was organized by BRCI in partnership with Advocacy for Alleged Witches with support from Safe Child Africa.
