10 Jun 2015

“Not ghosts but human beings”, screams a headline on a UN News Centre website as the plight of people with albinism is fast becoming a worldwide concern.

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) launched the website on May 5 and is “dedicated to the issues of albinism aimed at debunking the myths about a rare condition which is still profoundly misunderstood, socially and medically.”

There has been a spike in gruesome attacks against people with albinism in some parts of Africa sparking outrage and revulsion from the UN (United Nations) against abduction, wounding and killing of such people at times for ritual purposes.

It is against this background that Saturday June 13 will mark an important day for people with albinism in Botswana. For the first time, people with albinism in Botswana will gather in Gaborone to commemorate the day designated as Albinism Awareness Day by the UN on June 13, 2013.

Although Botswana has been commemorating other disabilities, albinism has never been part of the agenda as it was yet to be recognised as a disability.

Consequently, Ms Moshia Moalusi says from the Office for People Living with Disability in the Office of the President, people with albinism have always suffered twice in the sense that they have a disability that seem not to be recognised as a disability.

While there have not been any atrocities committed against people with albinism in Botswana, myths abound about albinism in that sometimes they suffer discrimination, taunts and endure stigma from fellow citizens.

As such, preparations are underway to make the day, from now on, an important part of the country’s events calendar to raise awareness about albinism.

The programme for the day includes a march of people with albinism carrying banners to raise awareness. A person with albinism as well as a parent raising a child with albinism will share their experiences as well.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), albinism affects from one in 5000 to one in 15 000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa. In some parts of Africa, hundreds of ritual attacks have been reported against persons with albinism particularly children.

The UN says many cases of such nature remain undocumented or unreported because of ostracism of victims and their families as well as the secret nature of witchcraft.
In launching the website, the UN hopes to stem the tide against such human rights abuses.

It says the website contains a wide range of resources on the condition of albinism and details some key human rights issues that people with albinism face on daily basis besides stories of 12 people raging from musicians, models, activists, athletes, doctors to judges who are making a difference to debunk myths around albinism. Ends