International Albinism Awareness Day 2019
As in previous years, Youmanity wishes to help raise awareness of the difficulties encountered by persons affected by albinism.
A recent United Nation's report suggests that persons with albinism face more severe forms of discrimination and violence. This appears to be the case in some sub-Saharan African countries where albinism is shrouded in myth and dangerous and erroneous beliefs. Since 2010, there have been around 700 cases of attacks and killings of persons with albinism in 28 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. This is only the tip of the iceberg.
The attacks have several root causes including ignorance, longstanding stigma, poverty and most abhorrently, harmful practices emanating from manifestation of beliefs in witchcraft. The alarming reality is that these horrendous practices continue today.
People affected by albinism are hunted down and hacked to pieces. Body parts are then sold on lucrative markets to customers who believe they will bring them good luck!
The manner in which discrimination faced by persons with albinism manifests itself, and its severity, vary from region to region. In the western world, including North America, Europe and Australia, discrimination often consists of name-calling, persistent teasing and bullying of children with albinism.
Little information is available from other regions such as Asia, South America and the Pacific etc. However, some reports indicate that in China and other Asian countries, children with albinism face abandonment and rejection by their families.
