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Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- Article 24 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes the right of indigenous peoples to their traditional medicines, to maintain their health practices and to access social and health services without discrimination.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Ethnic minorities
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Witchcraft and the human rights of persons with albinism 2017, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- Albinism is a relatively rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited condition that affects people worldwide regardless of ethnicity or gender. It results from a significant deficit in the production of melanin and is characterized by the partial or complete absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes. Persons with albinism therefore often appear pale in comparison to members of their family and their communities. For a person to be affected by albinism, both parents must carry the gene, and in such cases there is a 25 per cent chance at each pregnancy that a child will be born with albinism. The frequency of albinism varies by region. In Europe and North America, the reported frequency is 1 in 17,000 to 1 in 20,000 births. The frequency in certain parts of the Pacific is reported to be 1 in 700. Among some indigenous peoples in South America, the reported frequency is 1 in 70 to 1 in 125. In sub-Saharan Africa, the reported frequency ranges from 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 15,000, with prevalence rates of 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 1,500 for selected populations. An important caveat is that some studies of the frequency of albinism often lack objectivity in their methodology or are incomplete, rendering estimates as best guesses in most instances.
- Legal status
- Non-negotiated soft law
- Body
- Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Ethnic minorities
- Families
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
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