- The much-persecuted minority has had its own United Nations-supported day of awareness since 2015
- In some countries, albinos are kidnapped and their body parts hacked off for charms and magical potions
- The UN’s Human Rights Council adopted a resolution in 2013 calling for an end to attacks against albinos
Albinos around the world are marking International Albinism Awareness Day today.
The much-persecuted minority – composed of people with a hereditary genetic condition which causes a total absence of pigmentation in the skin, hair and eyes – has had its own UN-backed day of awareness since 2015.
In some countries, albinos are kidnapped and their body parts hacked off for use as charms and magical potions in the belief that they bring wealth and good luck – especially during elections even if there is no official reports.
The UN’s Human Rights Council adopted a resolution in 2013 calling for an end to attacks against albinos, leading to Ikponwosa Ero being employed at the organisation’s Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of Human Rights of Persons with Albinism.
Her latest report, presented to the UN in 2017, focused on witchcraft as the key root cause of prejudice and violence against persons with albinism.
The day has been marked on Twitter with the slogan #NotGhosts.
The much-persecuted minority – composed of people with a hereditary genetic condition which causes a total absence of pigmentation in the skin, hair and eyes – has had its own UN-backed day of awareness since 2015. Pictured: Albinos attend the cultural centre Douta Seck in Dakar during a gathering last year
In some countries, albinos are kidnapped and their body parts hacked off for use as charms and magical potions in the belief that they bring wealth and good luck – especially during elections even if there is no official reports
The UN’s Human Rights Council adopted a resolution in 2013 calling for an end to attacks against albinos, leading Ikponwosa Ero being employed at the organisation’s Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of Human Rights of Persons with Albinism
Ero’s latest report, presented to the UN in 2017, focused on witchcraft as the key root cause of prejudice and violence against persons with albinism. Pictured: A man with albinism marks International Albinism Awareness Day
An albino man wearing sunglasses and a hat attends the International Albinism Awareness Day in Dakar, Senegal. The UN hopes to help the much-persecuted group
A group of people with albinism attend the conference in Senegal. Many albinos are victims of prejudice and violence because of their skin colour
An albino woman wearing a headscarf attends the International Albinism Awareness Day gathering in the Senegalese capital
A man with a covered head attends the International Albinism Awareness Day event in the Douta Seck cultural centre in Dakar
A woman looks at her phone at the albinism gathering in the Senegalese capital. She is joined by both people with albinism and those without it
A man rubs his face during the International Albinism Awareness Day gathering in Dakar, Senegal, as the world marks the condition
Men wearing sunglasses arrive at the International Albinism Awareness Day gathering Dakar, Senegal, as a young boy with the condition looks on
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