Charlotte Baker

Director

Charlotte Baker is Professor of French and Critical Disability Studies in the Department of Languages and Cultures at Lancaster University, UK. Charlotte's research interests focus on the representation of marginalised and stigmatised groups in sub-Saharan Africa, theories and representations of disability, as well as comparative and interdisciplinary approaches to the body and identity. She is particularly interested in the realities and representations of albinism in African contexts and has published widely in this area.

Charlotte is Co-Director of The International Network Against Accusations of Witchcraft and Associated Harmful Practices, and a member of the UK National Working Group on Abuse Linked to Faith and Belief. From 2015-2021, she worked with Ikponwosa Ero, former Independent Expert on the Rights of Persons with Albinism, and Gary Foxcroft of the Witchcraft and Human Rights Information Network to lead work to secure Resolution 47/8 on the Elimination of Harmful Practices Related to Accusations of Witchcraft and Ritual Attacks in July 2021. Her work has involved the organization of expert meetings and side meetings at the UN Human Rights Council, as well as workshops, conferences and photographic exhibitions to raise awareness of the issue of contemporary witchcraft accusation and associated harmful practices, to bring together key stakeholders, and to gather consensus for change.