Over 40 000 People with Albinism (PwA) in Zimbabwe continue to be sidelined with the discourse recognizing their rights slow to take shape, Human Rights Report 2017 has noted.
The report published by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum last week noted that violations facing people with albinism remain under reported with the community conspicuous by its absence among minority groups recognised in the constitution of Zimbabwe.
“Violations remain under reported, among many minority groups mentioned in the constitution the Albino community is conspicuous by its absence; it was totally ignored,
“However that sad reality is slowly changing because of the activities of many organizations that are raising awareness of the situation of the Albino community,
“Among the more severe violations against the community of People with Albinism are the violation of the right to life owing to cultural practices that treat babies with Albinism as cursed hence are killed,” noted the report.
In countries such as Tanzania, persons with Albinism are victims of ritual killings owing to the false belief that their body parts have mystical or magical powers.
Other human rights violations emanated from discrimination by persons and institutions such as landlords that have no appreciation of their different conditions.
“In October 2017, Albino Charity Organization of Zimbabwe (ALCOZ) reported that landlords across Zimbabwe are shunning people with albinism creating a crisis of accommodation for people with albinism and perpetuating stereotypes that advance the marginalization of people with albinism,
“Discrimination in the workplace continued in 2017, PwA are constantly denied the right to employment because of their skin color, domestic violence was also a major issue in 2017. Mothers of children with Albinism were reported to have been abused by their spouses because they had given birth to children with albinism,” added the report.
From a health rights perspective, communities of people with albinism have special needs like sunscreen lotions which provides protection against the sun enabling them to live a healthy life and continue to be active in their communities.
