Our Statement to the UN Human Rights Council was delivered in response to the report of the UN Expert on albinism on Human rights defenders working on albinism. It was delivered on behalf of the Africa Albinism Network by Gift Sakala from Zambia.
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Read the full statement below
Africa Albinism Network – Response to the Report of the IE on Albinism at the 52nd Session Human Rights Council, March 2023
We speak on behalf of the Africa Albinism Network which includes Under The Same Sun and over 190 albinism groups across Africa.
As human rights defenders representing persons with albinism in Africa, we welcome the report of the Independent Expert because working in this space makes us extra vulnerable. To follow up with cases of attacks as persons with albinism, we expose ourselves to various levels of trauma. Yet, we have to do the work because there are not many people in this space.
It is in this context that we call upon the government of Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia who have had cases of attacks in the last two years, to take specific steps to protect human rights defenders in their respective countries particularly through the national adoption of the African Union Plan of Action on albinism and with a budget. Kenya has done so, and the positive outcomes in that country testify to this approach.
Finally, we join the Expert to call out to the UN and relevant development agencies and partners to support representatives of the albinism community by including us in various training and capacity development programs that affect us.
Including us in these opportunities will contribute to our resilience as human rights defenders in this space, as we continue to bear a lot of the burden of protecting our fellows with albinism – alone and exposed.
To read the full report of the UN Expert, click here.
