A/HRC/43/42
with the Pan-African Parliament, particularly on the development of regional guidelines on
harmful practices relating to abuse of witchcraft.3
7.
Summaries of allegation letters sent by the Independent Expert during the reporting
period are available in the communications reports of special procedures (A/HRC/41/56
and A/HRC/42/65). The Independent Expert continued to focus on earnest, constructive
dialogue with Member States and various stakeholders, through formal and informal
channels.
III. Methodology
8.
On 29 March 2019, the Independent Expert sent a questionnaire to stakeholders,
including Member States, United Nations offices, national human rights institutions, civil
society organizations and individuals, including persons with albinism. 4 The present report
is largely based on the compilation of the information received from 97 stakeholders, as
well as research 5 and findings from the Independent Expert’s country visits. 6 The
submissions received were primarily from Africa, followed by Latin America and Europe.
Some information was also received from Asia and the Pacific, and very little from the
Middle East and North Africa.
9.
The Independent Expert hopes that the present report will shed light on the situation
of women and children impacted by albinism, including women and children with albinism,
as well as mothers of children with albinism. She hopes to encourage much-needed
discussion, data collection and research on issues affecting this group. The Independent
Expert notes that repeated references to particular countries and regions in the present
report is due to either the quality or the quantity of inputs received in stakeholders’
submissions.
Definition
10.
Albinism is a relatively rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited condition
resulting in little to no pigmentation in the skin, hair and eyes. The condition affects people
worldwide regardless of ethnicity or gender. Persons with albinism are highly vulnerable to
skin cancer and often have disabilities, mainly as a result of vision impairment and skin
impairment. Attitudinal barriers exacerbate discrimination faced by persons with albinism.
In addition to disabilities, persons with albinism are recognized as persons who face racial
discrimination and stigmatization on the ground of colour (CERD/C/ZAF/CO/4-8, paras.
20–21).
IV. Intersecting and multiple discrimination
11.
Among persons with albinism, women and children in particular often face
intersecting and multiple forms of discrimination. 7 Multiple discrimination entails situations
or experiences where discrimination intersects on two or more grounds, thus compounding
3
4
5
6
7
See also the Pan-African Parliament’s resolution on persons with albinism in Africa
(PAP.4/PLN/RES/05/May.18).
The list of the submissions received by the Independent Expert is available at
www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Albinism/Pages/Submissions.aspx. The majority of the submissions were
from civil society organizations. She also received submissions from the Governments of the
Plurinational State of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Kenya and Slovenia (as indicated in
the relevant footnotes).
The Independent Expert expresses her appreciation to the International Human Rights Program at
the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and to Duncan Dixon, Research Librarian, Trinity
Western University, Canada.
See www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Albinism/Pages/Reports.aspx. The present report also supplements the
Independent Expert’s report on albinism worldwide (A/74/190).
See www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Women/WRGS/Report/SpecialProcedures/albinism.docx.
3
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