Is El Niño a risk factor for sorcery accusation-related violence?

Ali Moloney; Miranda Forsyth; Matt Mason

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Is El Niño a risk factor for sorcery accusation-related violence?

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Is El Niño a risk factor for sorcery accusation-related violence?

Ali Moloney, Miranda Forsyth and Matt Mason

Devpolicy Blog, Vol.29 September 2026

Australian National University, Development Policy Centre

2026

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Abstract

Australia

Climate change adaptation

Conflict prevention and peacebuilding

Disaster risk reduction

Food security and nutrition

Forecast/trends piece

Gender equality

Governance and institutional development

Health systems strengthening

Human rights-based approaches

Literature review

Melanesia

Opinion/commentary

Papua New Guinea

In our database of reported sorcery accusation-related violence (SARV) incidents across four provinces of Papua New Guinea (PNG), sickness or death was the immediate trigger in almost 90% of cases. But almost any misfortune can become a trigger — a bus breaking down, a business failing, or poor performance in a child’s studies.

Details

Title: Is El Niño a risk factor for sorcery accusation-related violence?
Authors: Ali Moloney (Author)
Miranda Forsyth (Author) - Australian National University
Matt Mason (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast
Publication details: Devpolicy Blog, Vol.29 September 2026
Publisher: Australian National University, Development Policy Centre
Date published: 2026
Organisation Unit: Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; School of Health - Nursing
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991262196202621
Output Type: Blog

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