Albinism: “Cost cannot be an excuse when fighting violence and discrimination” – New UN report

The United Nations has called on governments to put an end to the growing problem of violence and extreme discrimination against persons with albinism.

“Attacks against persons with albinism can be dealt with by concrete action addressing root causes,” said Ikponwosa Ero, the first-ever Independent Expert designated by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor, report and advise on the situation of human rights of persons with albinism in the world. “Given their relative size, cost cannot be an excuse in addressing the dire straits faced by persons with albinism.”

In her latest report to the UN General Assembly on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism, Ms. Ero identifies concrete steps in law, such as regulating the practice of witchcraft in all its forms, embarking on long term and sustained awareness raising as well as initiatives improving support to mothers of children with albinism.

“Root cause of attacks are found in traditional and culturally entrenched misbeliefs and misconceptions about albinism such as the myth that persons with albinism are ghosts, that they do not die but they disappear,” she said, “These contribute to minimizing the social impact of attacks and justify alleged disappearance.”

The Independent Expert stressed that “a key impact of these myths is family and community abandonment of the child with albinism and oftentimes their mothers as well.”

“Witchcraft beliefs and practices are also at the root of these attacks,” she added. It is for example believed “that drinking the blood of persons with albinism gives extra magical power, that the bones of persons with albinism can help discover gold in mines, their hands are burned to ashes and mixed in a paste to cure strokes; blood of persons with albinism is used to boost vitality and intellectual capacity.”

The report further finds that poverty is also a root cause of such attacks. “In view of the reported black market value of body parts of persons with albinism, the perceived possibility of becoming rich quickly is a strong incentive for attacks,” Ms. Ero explained.

“Aside from myths, witchcraft practice and poverty there are also aggravating factors, including the visibility of persons with albinism, particularly in regions where they stand out given their pigmentation, the characterization of persons with albinism in films and literature that perpetuate misconceptions, impunity and weak judicial response to  attacks,” the human rights expert noted.