In a recent address to the United Nations General Assembly, Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond, the UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, emphasized the urgent need for coordinated global action to tackle colour-based discrimination. Persons with albinism often face severe prejudice linked to skin colour, which restricts access to healthcare, education, employment, and public life. In extreme instances, this prejudice results in violent acts, including mutilation and murder. For more details, read the article on JURIST – News.
Miti-Drummond presented her report, “The psychosocial impact of colour-based discrimination on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism,” highlighting the psychological toll of persistent discrimination. Repeated stereotyping, social exclusion, and various forms of aggression contribute to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and even suicidal ideation among individuals with albinism. The report further highlights the impact of these issues on family members.
The UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute has underscored the vulnerability of persons with albinism to crimes such as organ trafficking, driven by myths and misconceptions that attach supernatural or monetary value to their body parts. Research cited in the report estimates that approximately 700 persons with albinism were killed or mutilated across 30 African countries over the past decade, linked to witchcraft-related beliefs.
International law explicitly prohibits colour-based discrimination, with frameworks such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) emphasizing equality and protection. The UN has been addressing these issues through various measures since 2013, including the establishment of the Independent Expert mandate and the declaration of June 13 as International Albinism Awareness Day.
Miti-Drummond’s report acknowledges legislative and policy efforts in countries like Brazil, Guinea, and Panama, and action plans in Angola, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Tanzania, for instance, reported a decline in killings of persons with albinism following the implementation of awareness and protection measures. Miti-Drummond urges the inclusion of organizations representing persons with albinism in policy design and stronger research and data collection efforts to adequately capture and address the discrimination faced by this community.
The robust response from both international and national bodies underscores the complexity and urgency of addressing these human rights challenges, as societal and institutional changes are necessary to protect and empower individuals with albinism worldwide.