Plan International - Girls' Rights Platform - Girls' rights are human rights: Positioning girls at the heart of the international agenda

Plan International - Girls' Rights Platform - Girls' rights are human rights: Positioning girls at the heart of the international agenda

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30 shown of 257 entities

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism

Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Legal status
Non-negotiated soft law
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Year
2016
Document code
A/71/255
Document
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 4

Paragraph text
Over the centuries and across the world, myths about albinism have been developed and have taken deep root in various cultures. Widespread and long-term ignorance about the condition has given birth to myths, some of them age-old and most of them erroneous. Such myths can be found in various regions of the world, as evidenced in the pejorative names used for persons with albinism across cultures and continents, including "dry pigeon peas", "ghost", "chicken", "strange being", "monkey", "fake white man", "goat" or the "devil in person".
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Harmful Practices
Person(s) affected
  • N.A.
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 5

Paragraph text
Some myths seek to explain albinism and address the reason why a person has the condition. Others attribute specific powers to persons with albinism, demonstrating fear of the unknown and the desire to distance oneself from them. Another group of myths presents ostracism, exclusion and discrimination against persons with albinism as a natural necessity. A number of these myths are highly concerning, as they seek to strip persons with albinism of their humanity and represent them as a means to an end as opposed to an end in themselves.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Equality & Inclusion
Person(s) affected
  • N.A.
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 6

Paragraph text
Albinism is a condition that results in a significant or near total lack of pigmentation in any or all of the skin, hair and eyes. The most significant human rights issues have emerged from myths linked to the form of albinism involving a lack of pigmentation in the skin. This is also the most visible form of albinism. All forms of albinism are together understood as rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited and occurring in both sexes, regardless of ethnicity, in all countries of the world. However, in most communities around the world, albinism is not fully understood.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Health
Person(s) affected
  • All
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 7

Paragraph text
Myths about albinism include the belief that a child with albinism is a curse meted out on the mother or family of the child. It is also sometimes believed that children with albinism are the result of their family's or parent's evildoing and they are therefore considered a punishment to the whole family and community. In most cases, the blame for having a child with albinism is often attributed to the mother because the curse is believed to be matrilineal, transmitted by the mother's side of the family. There are also beliefs that women who give birth to children with albinism are unclean, or even in some cases witches. A similar myth is that the mother of a child with albinism stepped onto something evil, leading to a curse on the whole family.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Harmful Practices
Person(s) affected
  • Children
  • Families
  • Women
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 8

Paragraph text
Similarly, myths accuse the mothers of children with albinism of having been unfaithful, specifically for having extraconjugal affairs with a white man, with a ghost or with a spirit such as the tokolosh (a malevolent spirit in the Shona tradition). There is also a myth that children with albinism are the product of incest.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Harmful Practices
  • Violence
Person(s) affected
  • Children
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 9

Paragraph text
Further, it is also sometimes believed that albinism can be contracted by being in contact with albinism. The same myth is extended to things that have been touched by persons with albinism. There are also beliefs that if a pregnant woman looks at a person with albinism, even unintendedly, her unborn child will be born with albinism, unless she spits to neutralize the "curse". Persons spit at the person with albinism, on the floor, inside their shirts or on their stomachs in the case of pregnant women. One mother of a child with albinism reported that she gave birth to a child with albinism for having herself stared too hard at a person with albinism while fetching water during her pregnancy.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Harmful Practices
Person(s) affected
  • Children
  • Infants
  • Women
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 10

Paragraph text
Other myths seek an explanation in existing traditional beliefs associated with childbirth. It has been reported, for example, that the birth of children with albinism could be linked to the "snake inside the woman" turning away from that pregnancy. The snake is considered the protector of the pregnancy, monitoring it. Other explanations are that a child born with albinism was conceived when a woman had intercourse while she was menstruating. Further, some mythological beliefs seek to explain the condition by advancing that the mother of the child with albinism was struck by lightning or that albinism occurs when a mother does not consume enough salt in her diet.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Harmful Practices
  • Health
Person(s) affected
  • Children
  • Infants
  • Women
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 11

Paragraph text
The lack of understanding of the condition is also illustrated by myths that persons with albinism cannot have children who do not have albinism, or that they are sterile. Furthermore, it is often believed that persons with albinism can only be found within one`s proximate race; consequently, the worldwide status of the condition is often not generally known. This narrow understanding of the frequency of albinism feeds into myths which present the condition as a particular problem supernaturally aimed at specific women and families.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Equality & Inclusion
  • Harmful Practices
  • Health
Person(s) affected
  • Children
  • Families
  • Women
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 12

Paragraph text
It is evident that none of these myths are true, yet they demonstrate the lack of understanding of the genetic nature of albinism. This absence of scientific knowledge and the resort to myths to provide explanations concerning albinism lead to discrimination against persons with albinism and their families, mothers in particular. However, this should not lead to the conclusion that public education alone will eradicate these myths. Evidence shows that even where the truth and the scientific basis of albinism are known, they can co-exist with myths. Scientific explanations of the origins of albinism can answer the question "why?". But they fail to answer particular, localized and personal questions such as "why in this particular person?" and "why at this particular time and place?". The inability of science to answer these questions means that many turn to explanations proposed by supernatural beliefs such as witchcraft, and its practitioners, also known as witchdoctors.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Education
  • Harmful Practices
Person(s) affected
  • Families
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 13

Paragraph text
Myths attributing special powers or qualities to persons with albinism tend to dehumanize persons with albinism. Such myths do not seek to provide an explanation for the condition but aim to single out persons with albinism by imputing non-human or superhuman features to them.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Equality & Inclusion
Person(s) affected
  • N.A.
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 14

Paragraph text
This is the case, for example, in the myths that persons with albinism cannot see during the day but have excellent vision at night, that desirable minerals such as mercury and gold flow through their veins or that they float on water and cannot drown. Other myths seeking to dehumanize persons with albinism include those portraying them as cannibals or monstrous creatures in certain folktales, literature and films, or claiming that they can communicate with non-earthly or extraterrestrial beings.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Environment
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 15

Paragraph text
Furthermore, myths also portray children with albinism as symbols of evil spirits that need to be chased away. To do so, it appears that rituals are conducted whereby the child is forced to drink a potion or go through other ritual ceremonies and trials by ordeal.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Harmful Practices
Person(s) affected
  • Children
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 16

Paragraph text
Most potent is the belief that persons with albinism can be used in money-making rituals and for good luck charms and amulets. The crux of this belief is the notion that the body parts of persons with albinism - their skin, hair, genitals and limbs - can generate financial and other desirable gains when used for witchcraft rituals, practices and paraphernalia.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Harmful Practices
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 17

Paragraph text
There is also the myth that intercourse with female persons with albinism can cure infertility, sexually transmitted infections and, in particular, HIV/AIDS. This has led to the rape and forced prostitution of women and girls with albinism, some of whom end up contracting various infections. Cases have been reported of young girls with albinism being prostituted by their family to customers who thereby expect to be cured of HIV/AIDS. It is believed that cases of this sort are underreported owing to various factors, including a pre-existing context of myth-led discrimination against persons with albinism, the stigma of reporting rape and the likelihood of further abuse. Such lack of reporting is bound to aggravate the already oppressed and disenfranchised situation of women and girls with albinism.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Harmful Practices
  • Health
  • Violence
Person(s) affected
  • Girls
  • Women
  • Youth
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 18

Paragraph text
Beliefs that attribute supernatural qualities to persons with albinism serve only to dehumanize them. Such beliefs deify or demonize persons with albinism, and present as natural the exclusion, stigma and discrimination they face. This is the case, for example, in the widespread myth that persons with albinism do not die, but simply disappear. This myth is particularly disturbing because it justifies any sudden and inexplicable disappearance of a person with albinism from his or her community. This belief poses a strong risk to persons with albinism by proactively providing an acceptable explanation to the community for the disappearance of a person with albinism after an attack. Further, the existence of such a myth supports the hypothesis that violations of the life and security of persons with albinism predate the contemporary attention given to the issue.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Equality & Inclusion
  • Harmful Practices
  • Social & Cultural Rights
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 19

Paragraph text
The myth that persons with albinism naturally have a short lifespan is also prevalent. It appears to supply an explanation for the relatively high frequency of early deaths among persons with albinism. Such early deaths, which particularly correlate with the myth that persons with albinism disappear, also appear to be strongly linked to the prevalence of skin cancer and the high number of early to midlife fatalities recorded among them on account of this preventable disease. There is an urgent need to address this disease through the provision of both preventive and curative measures that are accessible and affordable or free, particularly in rural areas.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Health
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 20

Paragraph text
Similarly, myths that persons with albinism are destined to experience poor fortune and cannot do well in life are also a reflection of the discrimination they face on a daily basis. Unfortunately, too often, given the myth-driven historical context of discrimination, there is a disproportionately small number of persons with albinism able to disprove this myth with the example of their lives. Other beliefs, that persons with albinism are unable to learn or are mentally challenged, illustrate the particular discrimination they face regarding access to education, including persistent bullying and the absence of reasonable accommodation for the vision impairment that is often part of albinism.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Education
  • Equality & Inclusion
Person(s) affected
  • All
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 21

Paragraph text
There are rare cases where persons with albinism are deified or viewed as having godlike qualities. For example, the Guna people in Latin America give a special place to persons with albinism as protectors. Tales of persons with albinism being considered as water deities or as natural chiefs have also been reported. While deification and positive supernaturalization of persons with albinism may appear to be desirable, this is not an ideal state because the person with albinism is still the subject of myths unfounded on fact or science. Consequently, their dignity remains grounded in subjective narratives and not in their objective status as human beings.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Social & Cultural Rights
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 22

Paragraph text
Myths yield several interrelated consequences. According to contributions received by the Independent Expert, these consequences are manifested in the lives of persons with albinism in the form of abandonment by their families; normalized isolation and discrimination by their communities; vulnerability to attacks; and infanticide.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Equality & Inclusion
  • Harmful Practices
  • Violence
Person(s) affected
  • Families
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 23

Paragraph text
In areas where myths are prevalent, the birth of a child with albinism is often viewed as a social tragedy. Ridicule, blame-throwing, harrowing family intervention and pressure placed on parents or on the mother of the child are commonplace. Because of the social stigma attached to having a child with albinism, fathers of children with albinism sometimes decide to abandon their partners, leaving those children to be brought up in challenging conditions by single mothers. Often, such a single mother and her child are further relegated to the fringes of the community to avoid contaminating others with her "curse". In other instances, mothers voluntarily relocate away from the community to minimize taunts and harassment from others. Therefore, raising a child with albinism in these contexts, either as a single mother or in a family, is synonymous with a life of exclusion and poverty - one that leaves the child with albinism vulnerable to both sexual and physical attack, as has been demonstrated by reported cases. In other cases, children with albinism have been abandoned or rejected from their birth by both mother and father and have grown up in orphanages and on the streets.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Harmful Practices
  • Poverty
  • Violence
Person(s) affected
  • Children
  • Families
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 24

Paragraph text
In an environment where having albinism is regarded as a curse and where the myth that albinism can be contracted like a contagious disease is prevalent, crossing the road to avoid walking near or refusing to shake hands with persons with albinism is commonplace.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 25

Paragraph text
In addition, such fear of contagion can be extended to objects touched by persons with albinism. In the words of a person with albinism, "some people will not touch what I touch. In the bus no one wants to sit next to me. People don't want to shake hands with me, share utensils, touch me or come near". Similarly, another person with albinism reported that people refuse to share a taxi with him. Further, as a result of such beliefs, people are sometimes reluctant to eat any food that has been touched by persons with albinism. This is particularly stigmatizing in a context where persons eat from a common pot. It also raises difficulties for persons with albinism working at markets, as customers may prefer other sellers.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Equality & Inclusion
Person(s) affected
  • All
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 26

Paragraph text
Family members, friends and service providers are not immune to the practice of self-distancing from persons with albinism. This is illustrated by the following testimony of a person with albinism: "my mother distances herself from me … I had girlfriends who preferred to quietly meet me away from the public. You go to a party; they won't want to dance with you". Similarly, it was reported that, in certain cases, nurses and other medical professionals, including physicians, were reluctant to touch or treat patients with albinism. In such a context, it is not uncommon that persons with albinism self-limit their interactions within the community and shy away from attending school.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Equality & Inclusion
  • Harmful Practices
  • Health
Person(s) affected
  • Families
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 27

Paragraph text
Community support and integration have been identified as key protection measures for persons with albinism. Therefore, excluding and ostracizing persons with albinism have a direct impact on their safety and make them more vulnerable to attacks. Ostracized and physically distanced, those who are in most dire need of protection are rendered more vulnerable. The exclusion of mothers of children with albinism by their family and community throws them into deep poverty. Not only are these women physically distanced from others, they tend to live in insecure homes, which leaves them easy prey to perpetrators of attacks. They are often left exposed to attacks where no one will respond in time, or at all, to their call for help.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Equality & Inclusion
Person(s) affected
  • Children
  • Families
  • Women
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 28

Paragraph text
Similarly, myths contribute to minimizing the social impact of attacks against persons with albinism and justify their disappearance. In this regard, the testimony of a digger is telling as he explains that myths are used to "deceive people because the waganga [witchdoctors/traditional healers] believe that the zeruzeru [a pejorative term for a person with albinism] aren't missed in the community. They believe that they are not useful people and if they die they are not lost".
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Harmful Practices
  • Social & Cultural Rights
  • Violence
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 29

Paragraph text
In addition, the myths fuel the discrimination and abuse to which persons with albinism are subject at school, and this increases bullying, taunting and harassment, which in turn increases their dropout rates. High dropout rates throw them into a cycle of poverty that is hard to break. Poverty in turn predisposes them to abuse and exposes them to attack.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Education
  • Equality & Inclusion
  • Violence
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 30

Paragraph text
One of the most extreme consequences of adhering to myths concerning albinism is infanticide. Although cases of infanticide of children with albinism are very hard to document, anecdotes and folk stories about the killing at birth of such children, particularly in rural areas, are common.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Harmful Practices
  • Violence
Person(s) affected
  • Children
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 31

Paragraph text
This seems to be a historical trend, as the nineteenth century Scottish missionary David Livingstone described the killing of a young boy with albinism by his mother: "the mother is said to have become tired of living apart from the father, who refused to have her while she retained their son. She took him out one day, and killed him close to the village of Mabotsa, and nothing was done to her by the authorities".
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Environment
  • Harmful Practices
Person(s) affected
  • Youth
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

Preliminary survey on the root causes of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism 2016, para. 32

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.
Body
Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Topic(s)
  • Harmful Practices
Person(s) affected
  • Children
  • Infants
Year
2016
Paragraph
View

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