• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

Beyond race, ethnicity and gender, people with albinism are not ghosts

Watchdog Uganda by Watchdog Uganda
8 years ago
in News, Voices
1 1

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/90/81/2028190/web/wp-content/themes/jnews/class/Image/ImageNormalLoad.php on line 70

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/90/81/2028190/web/wp-content/themes/jnews/class/Image/ImageNormalLoad.php on line 73
ShareTweetSendShare

 

By Namugerwa Martha

Albinism is still profoundly misunderstood, socially and medically and people with albinism face multiple forms of discrimination worldwide.

Albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited condition which occurs worldwide regardless of ethnicity or gender. It most commonly results in the lack of melanin pigment in the hair, skin and eyes (oculocutaneous albinism), causing vulnerability to sun exposure. This can lead to skin cancer and severe visual impairment. Both parents must carry the gene for it to be passed on to their children, even if they do not themselves have manifestations of the condition.

The prevalence of albinism varies across the world. According to the World Health Organization, estimates vary from 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 15,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Europe and North America, 1 in 20,000 people have the condition according to the NGO under the Same Sun. However, data on the prevalence of albinism by country remains scarce.

The physical appearance of persons with albinism is often the object of numerous beliefs and myths influenced by superstition, which foster their marginalization and social exclusion, leading them to various forms of stigma and discrimination.

The worst expression of discrimination against persons with albinism is their dehumanization, which lays the foundation for horrifying physical attacks against them, because some believe that they are magical beings or ghosts, they mutilate or even kill them so their body parts can be used for witchcraft rituals.

Much as these attacks claim many lives, and surviving victims and their families experience severe trauma, persons with albinism are not well protected.

Albinos deserve to have their rights to life and security, as well as the right not to be subjected to torture and ill-treatment. Education and awareness-raising campaigns can help combat superstition and stigma associated with albinism.

However, the State’s obligation to criminalize, investigate and prosecute perpetrators of such crimes is particularly critical due to the vulnerability of persons with albinism, whereas, the commitment to do so by States would ensure access to effective remedies and rehabilitation, including medical and psychological care, for the survivors and their families.

Hundreds of ritual attacks against persons with albinism, particularly children, have been reported in various countries like Tanzania, Uganda and many others, many more cases remain undocumented or unreported because of the fear of victims and their families, as well as the secret nature of witchcraft although violence is largely met by social silence and indifference.

Additionally, the impunity for killings and attacks against persons with albinism is a concern, while some investigation and prosecution seem to take place, sentencing  their perpetrators appears to be rare and very many victims face significant difficulties in bringing their cases to justice, fearing retaliatory attacks or further stigmatization.

Without effective and affordable access to justice, persons with albinism cannot claim their rights and contest the human rights violations to which they are subjected to like women who give birth to children with albinism are often rejected by their husbands and families, not adding the stigma and abuses the children with albinism face be it at school, family and the society as well, some are frequently abandoned by their parents because of the appearance of their skin and also the belief that they might be a source of misfortune.

The deeply entrenched prejudices they face worldwide also impede persons with albinism from accessing adequate health care, social services, legal protection and redress for rights abuses.

People with albinism have a right to freedom from discrimination which requires States to adopt comprehensive strategies to ensure that persons with albinism are afforded equal protection under the law and in practice.

 


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
ShareTweetSendShare

Related Posts

News

Truth Revealed: Jinja City Council Clarifies On Shs4.2 Billion Return To Treasury 

10th July 2025 at 19:35
NUP leaders
News

NUP’s Pragmatic Pivot: Sending a Bipartisan Treasurer to IPOD

10th July 2025 at 19:29
News

New order growth spurs continued improvement in Ugandan business conditions in June

10th July 2025 at 19:22
Next Post

Menstrual hygiene and management is every one's concern- Activist

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1125 shares
    Share 450 Tweet 281
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    49 shares
    Share 20 Tweet 12
  • Who is Bosco Muwonge, Uganda’s elusive real estate billionaire?

    36 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 9
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2289 shares
    Share 916 Tweet 572
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    48 shares
    Share 19 Tweet 12
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

Truth Revealed: Jinja City Council Clarifies On Shs4.2 Billion Return To Treasury 

10th July 2025 at 19:35
Mashable is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company For more queries and news contact us on this Email: info@mashablepartners.com

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is the undisputed king of Kampala

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0

Truth Revealed: Jinja City Council Clarifies On Shs4.2 Billion Return To Treasury 

10th July 2025 at 19:35
NUP leaders

NUP’s Pragmatic Pivot: Sending a Bipartisan Treasurer to IPOD

10th July 2025 at 19:29

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda