Nyamizi, 73, Tanzania: Attacked for being a witch

Nyamizi, 73, was attacked and accused of being a witch. (c) Jeff Williams/HelpAge International Nyamizi, a 73-year-old widow from Sukumaland, Tanzania, was returning home one night from work when a man came running towards her with a machete. He chopped off her hand and slashed her head.

Sometime before, Nyamizi had received a letter warning her to leave her village. "Otherwise, something would happen to you that you would never ever forget," the letter read. Nyamizi believes that the letter was sent by a neighbour whose child had died, and who had been told by the traditional healer that Nyamizi had killed the child using witchcraft.

Extreme violence against older women

Extreme violence and abuse against older women related to witchcraft allegations is common in this part of Tanzania.

According to the Tanzania Legal and Human Rights Centre, more than 2,585 older women were killed in eight regions in the five years to 2009. Physical characteristics associated with witchcraft, such as red eyes caused by years of cooking over a smoky stove, put older women at particular risk. Tanzania's inheritance laws, under which women can lose ownership of their houses and land when they become widowed, also make them extremely vulnerable.

"I didn't get justice because I couldn't pay for it"

Often, the perpetrators witchcraft-related attacks are not brought to justice. After remaining unconscious for a day and spending three weeks in hospital, Nyamizi was told that her case had already been heard in court and that she had lost it. "I didn't get justice because I couldn't pay for it. No one takes action for those who are poor," she says.

HelpAge has been working with partners in Sukumaland since 1999 to reduce witchcraft allegations and violence against older women. We have trained paralegal advisers in over 90 villages.

Between 2004 and 2008, they dealt with almost 20,000 cases. Killings of older women have reduced by 99% in the areas where the projects are running, although in other areas they continue to rise.

We are also working with human rights organisations to challenge harmful beliefs and traditions that lead to the killing of older women.

Mainstream ageing into all gender policies

Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: A Celebration and A Challenge highlights the combined effects of age and sex discrimination on older women. A core recommendation of the report is for ageing to be mainstreamed into all gender policies and gender into ageing policies.

The report also calls to expose, investigate and work to prevent abuse and violence against older people and to work towards national laws and regulations that challenge age discrimination.