LAW lecturer Dr Samantha Spence is pushing the United Nations to act in light of the growing numbers of horrific cases linked to accusation of witchcraft and demonic possession.

Cases of faith and belief linked abuse are reported throughout the world, with more than 30 being recorded in Bolton since 2016.

Dr Spence, who specialises in human rights and is based at the University of Bolton, has been working with the United Nations on the issue for the past 18 months.

She along with other campaigners are pressing for the UN to pass a special Human Rights Council Resolution on the issue within the next 12 months.

Campaigners fear more children could be killed unless preventative action is taken.

In 2017, The Witchcraft and Human Rights Information Network, together with the UN Independent Expert on Albinism and Lancaster University, organised the first ever UN Expert Workshop on Witchcraft and Human Rights at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

It brought together UN Experts, academics and members of society to discuss the violence associated with such beliefs and practices and groups that are particularly vulnerable.

Dr Spence said the event highlighted the various manifestations of witchcraft beliefs and practice, including accusations, stigma, and ritual killings, before identifying good practice in combating such practices.

She said: “It marked an important step towards mainstreaming the issue into the UN Human Rights system.

“Following the UN workshop I have been working with the UN and other experts to further the issue.”

Dr Spence was invited in September 2018 to the UN in Geneva to attend an exhibition where some photos were displayed of survivors.

And she was one of the organisers of a conference in Lancaster entitled “Witchcraft and Human Rights: Past, Present, Future”.

The photos were brought from the UN and exhibited there during the conference.

Dr Spence was one of the University of Bolton’s Jenkinson Award winners, following her research project, entitled ‘Witchcraft: From Horror to Hope”.

The award helped to fund the UN independent expert on Persons with Albinism – Ikponwosa Ero – to attend the conference, as well as five of her International Human Rights students.

Dr Spence said: “This was the Teaching Intensive Research Informed (TIRI) agenda of my research.

“It informed my teaching and benefited the students. Attending the conference was a wonderful opportunity for them.”