Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 32
Paragraph
Paragraph text
Such stories have also been reported in contemporary times. Village folklore describes how mothers are advised by midwives to sit on their babies or asphyxiate them at birth if they have albinism. In other cases, it seems that the child is left to die, with no food. Similarly, it has been reported that children with albinism have been instantly killed at birth for fear of the shame attached to the condition, or because of a belief that they bring bad luck. Other folklore describes practices such as drowning children with albinism in a lake or placing babies with albinism at the exit gate of a cow pen, where they are left to die from being trampled on by cattle. Still other folklore recounts the ritual killing of children with albinism, who have been accused of being witches, by putting them in bags and smashing the bags against a tree.
Legal status
Non-negotiated soft law
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Means of adoption
N.A.
Topic(s)
Harmful Practices
Person(s) affected
Children
Infants
Year
2016
Paragraph type
Other
Reference
IE Albinism, Report to the UNGA (2016), A/71/255, para. 32.