21 Sep 2017 -  Day One 9.30-10.30 Opening Remarks by Kate Gilmore, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights and Remarks from Sponsors PART 1 – Conceptualization of witchcraft 10.30-11.30 Panel 1: Manifestations of Witchcraft Beliefs and Practices Dr. Birubala Rabha, Human Rights defender, Assam State, India Mardouche Yembi, Survivor of witchcraft accusation, DRC/UK Mariamu Staford, person with albinism, Survivor of attack, Tanzania Allan Sembatya, Survivor of attack, Uganda Question(s): How have witchcraft beliefs and practice impacted you/groups your represent? Moderator: Myriam Dessables, Chief of Communications, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) 11.30-13.00 Panel 2: What is ``witchcraft``? Prof. Jean La Fontaine, London School of Economics, UK Rev. Prof. Samuel Waje Kunhiyop, General Secretary of Evangelical Churches Winning All (ECWA), Nigeria Dr. Simeon Mesaki, specialist in witchcraft studies, Tanzania 5 Rev. Abel Ngolo, Secrétaire-General-Représentant Légal, Equipe Pastorale auprès des Enfants en Détresse, RDC Dr. Robert Priest, Taylor University Question(s): What does “witchcraft” include or encompass? Note: The purpose of this session is not to have a closed list of elements describing witchcraft but to identify what it includes and how these may be recognized. Moderator: Kirsty Brimelow 13:00-14.15 Lunch break PART 2 – Harmful Practices 14.30-16.00 Panel 3: Witchcraft Accusations Dr. Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extradjudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Dr. Dubravka Simonovic, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences Commissioner Reine Alpini-Gansou, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Victoria Lee, Human Rights and Economic and Social Issues Section, OHCHR Kathryn Leslie, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on violence against children Note: Catalina Devandas Aguilar, Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities will also attend but speak from the floor (not on panel) Question(s): 1. How have witchcraft beliefs and practice impacted the human rights of the group you advocate for? 2. Lay out government's human rights obligations in relation to these violations. 6 3. What recommendations do you propose for stemming these violations? (you may make recommendations addressed to various actors and stakeholders) Moderator: Mona Rishmawi, Chief, Rule of Law, Equality and Non-Discrimination Branch, Research and Right to Development Division, OHCHR 16.00-17.30 Panel 4: Civil Society Perspectives Gary Foxcroft, Witchcraft and Human Rights Information Network George Thindwa, Activist, Malawi Sashiprava Bindhani, Lawyer and Odisa State Government Commissioner for Information, India Leo Igwe, Human Rights advocate, Nigeria Question(s): 1. How have witchcraft beliefs and practice impacted the human rights of the group you advocate for? 2. Set out government’s obligations in relation to these violations. 3. What recommendations do you propose for stemming these violations? (you may make recommendations addressed to various actors and stakeholders) Moderator: Mona Rishmawi