A/HRC/31/63 accompanied by Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome is another less common form, which is characterized by bleeding disorders, bowel (colitis) and lung diseases. IV. Areas of concern and priority issues 14. Persons with albinism face discrimination and barriers that restrict their participation in society on an equal basis with others every day. Due to those many challenges, persons with albinism throughout the world are unable to enjoy the full range of human rights and the same standards of equality, rights and dignity as others. While some of those challenges are global, others have predominantly been identified in certain regions. There are legal and policy foundations to most of the human rights violations faced by persons with albinism, however, they have not yet been consolidated and there are no specific instruments or guidelines on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism — a gap that the Independent Expert wishes to address in consultation with stakeholders. 15. As an initial step, the mandate holder will outline, in broad strokes, some of the obstacles with which persons with albinism are confronted. The obstacles identified constitute the main areas of concern and priorities of the mandate holder and include human rights violations such as attacks, desecration of graves, trafficking of body parts, displacement, discrimination against persons with albinism, as well as human rights violations based on disabilities, challenges in the right to the highest attainable standard of health and the right to education. The Independent Expert would also like to draw attention to the particularly concerning situation of women and children with albinism. A. Witchcraft and related offences 16. It has been widely reported and documented that persons with albinism are hunted and physically attacked due to prevailing myths such as the misbelief that their body parts, when used in witchcraft rituals and potions or amulets, will induce wealth, good luck and political success. Other dangerous myths that facilitate the perpetration of attacks are those linked to perceptions of their appearance, including misbeliefs and myths that persons with albinism are not human beings, but ghosts, that they are subhuman and that they do not die, but disappear. An increase of those attacks, referred to as “ritual attacks”, has been reported by civil society during periods of political elections. 17. Attacks against persons with albinism and corollary issues of displacement and trafficking in body parts violate the right to life, the right to security of person and the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, as enshrined in various international human rights treaties. As reported by OHCHR, whether any particular ritual killing or attack against persons with albinism is attributable to a State agent needs to be determined on a case-bycase basis. Nevertheless, the State violates its obligation to ensure the right to life and the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment by failing to take appropriate measures to prevent, investigate, prosecute, punish or redress.3 18. In response to the issue, several treaty bodies have called for immediate action to end the attacks. These include the Human Rights Committee,4 which recommended that affected States strengthen efforts to halt attacks on the physical integrity of persons with albinism, ensure the conduct of timely investigations and strengthen awareness-raising 3 4 6 See A/HRC/24/57, para. 31. See, for example, CCPR/C/TZA/CO/4, para. 15; CCPR/C/BDI/CO/2, para. 9; and CCPR/C/KEN/CO/3, para. 17.