Albinism: “Cost cannot be an excuse when fighting
violence and discrimination” – New UN report
NEW YORK (26 October 2016) – United Nations human expert
Ikponwosa Ero today called on all government representatives gathered at the UN
General Assembly to take urgent measures 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 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, “This 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.
(*) Check the Independent Expert’s report:
http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?si=A/71/255
ENDS
Ms. Ikponwosa Ero (Nigeria) was designated in June 2015
as the first UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons
with albinism by the Human Rights Council. Inspired by her experiences as a
person with albinism, Ms. Ero spent the last seven years working on the
enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism. As international advocacy
and legal officer of Under The Same Sun, an NGO with a focus on albinism, she
participated in multiple activities and panels at the UN in Geneva and New
York. She has extensive experience in research, policy development and advocacy
in the field of albinism. She is the author of numerous papers and articles on
the issue, including with regards to the categorisation of persons with
albinism in the international human rights system. Learn more, log on to:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Albinism/Pages/IEAlbinism.aspx
The Independent Experts are part of what is known as the
Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest
body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name
of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that
address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of
the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not
UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from
any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
Check the special website: “People with albinism: not
ghosts, but human beings - http://albinism.ohchr.org/
For inquiries and media requests, please contact please
contact Arnaud Chaltin (+41 22 917 9188 / achaltin@ohchr.org) or write toalbinism@ohchr.org
For media inquiries related to other UN independent
experts:
Xabier Celaya – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 /
xcelaya@ohchr.org)
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