A/78/167
67. Persons who interact with persons with albinism, such as health -care
professionals, employers and teachers, frequently do not understand t he specific risks
that a changing climate poses to persons with albinism. States can support persons
with albinism to ensure that they have access to climate change education
programmes and that climate change education programmes for the general
population cover issues that affect persons with albinism specifically. Information
received from Burkina Faso and Japan indicates that the issue of climate change is
addressed in the national school curriculum.
68. In Kenya, the civil society organization Black Albinism is raising awareness, in
Kajiado, Kitui and Machakos counties, of climate change and its effects. As part of
those efforts, it conducts research and runs education and advocacy workshops for
persons with albinism and their communities, including pa rents and community
health workers. The programme also trains “climate change champions” – many of
whom are persons with albinism themselves – to further spread awareness of climate
action in communities. The programme is a good example of how persons with
albinism need to be involved not only as recipients but also as providers of climate
change education.
69. States must also ensure that climate funding mechanisms are accessible to
persons with albinism and can support climate adaptation and mitigation i nitiatives
led by persons with albinism. The Global Greengrants Fund, through its Disability
Rights and Climate Justice Advisory Board, awards small grants to organizations to
promote the inclusion of climate change in their disability rights agendas. To d ate, the
fund has supported over 250 organizations of persons with disabilities and
environmental justice NGOs. This includes projects and organizations that
specifically focus on promoting the inclusion of persons with albinism in climate
discourse and funding that supports persons with albinism to engage directly in
climate action. For example, the Fund has provided funding for the Albinism and
Disability Advocacy Centre, in Nigeria, to organize technical training on the impacts
of climate change on persons with albinism in Edo state and advocate their special
consideration in climate discourse. The Fund has also provided funding to the
organization Voice of Disabled Women in Tanzania to provide accessible training and
materials to young persons with disabilities (including those with albinism) to plant
tree nurseries. The aim is to combat deforestation, which itself disproportionately
affects persons with albinism as it removes the shade needed to protect their skin from
sun exposure.
IX. Conclusion and recommendations
70. The present report provides a preliminary overview of the impact of climate
change on persons with albinism. Foremost among this is the impact on their
enjoyment to the right to the highest attainable standard of health, owing to th e
increased vulnerability to skin cancer. However, the impact of climate change
goes far beyond this for persons with albinism and affects the extent to which
they are able to participate in all aspects of society. While little research has been
done specifically on climate change and albinism, the information available
indicates that climate change, in conjunction with exclusion from climate action,
is causing persons with albinism to experience violations of a broad spectrum of
their human rights, including the right to an adequate standard of living,
protection and safety in situations of risk, inclusive education, decent and safe
working conditions, freedom from violence and freedom from discrimination.
States must act urgently to protect persons with albinism from these negative
impacts of climate change.
23-13701
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