The situation of persons with Albinism in Malawi and the Great Lakes Region remains a simmering crisis. In large part, this owes to the fact that albinism is a grossly misunderstood condition more so in traditional, conservative and superstitious societies of sub-Saharan Africa.<\/p>\n
The majority are abused and killed in the mistaken belief that they are magical beings with magical powers and capable of making people rich.<\/p>\n
With the recent increase in violence against person with the condition, commentators say albinism has become the most unfortunate of vulnerabilities. To me it is a huge tragic story which must be reversed and re-written by all people who care.<\/p>\n
I have been researching a comprehensive holistic response and have learnt that in the efforts being made to protect people with albinism short and long term approaches must come together. But it is long term approaches that should receive priority along with resource commitment.<\/p>\n
Foremost our society needs to adopt a solid human rights approach to dealing with human protection and development issues. The fact must be respected without nuances that people with albinism are different but they are perfectly human and so they have rights to life, to protection and to respect.<\/p>\n
All Malawians must recognise the fact that it is as illegal as is criminal to make bona fide citizens feel hated, hounded and hunted in their own country among their own people. As a people we live in times of inclusion not exclusion; times of freedoms, duties and obligations not torment and servitude<\/p>\n
Our values must transform as rapidly as feasible with regard to love for and concern with each other\u2019s welfare and the nation that we make up.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s sad that a large part of detractors of progress is that the desecration of graves, physical attacks and killings of people with albinism are all too often met with indifference. Few really care about the rights and humanity of albinos.<\/p>\n
There is no doubt in my mind that many of those who should be securing the society subscribe de-humanising beliefs about people with albinism or are simply callous money launders with devil beaten consciences too demented to humanly care.<\/p>\n
Haven\u2019t we heard of relatives and for that matter parents marketing and selling household members? What depth of poverty should drive people to such moral depravity?<\/p>\n
Along with rights is the assurance that justice is and will be done. As more and more persons with albinism seek and find solace in the justice system and perpetrators are punished impunity shall be banished.<\/p>\n
In respect of this, the courts must act swiftly to hear and judge cases. And to do so the system must first rid itself of the roundly poor attitude and corrupt practices that have defaced it for long times<\/p>\n
Presently there may be conspiracies of silence among informants some for fear of reprisals while others are conspirators.<\/p>\n
In principle fear of reprisals will dissipate where the courts are firm accompanied by police protection and concealment of sources of information. In democracies, justice should have the effect of freeing the conscience and facilitating information flow never the other way round.<\/p>\n
While Malawi focuses attention on prevention of attacks and prosecution of perpetrators very little seems done to address the needs of survivors and members of their households. This misses out a whole piece in the national response and fragments what good action the country is taking.<\/p>\n
Part of a holistic approach to the crisis is provision of psycho-social rehabilitative support for survivors, families of the victims including parents and siblings. Vitally important services must address the fear and trauma people with albinism face so they can feel safe, loved and part of an active rational society.<\/p>\n
And there is a strong health dimension.<\/p>\n
Government and partners in health development must resource hospitals adequately to treat conditions which accompany albinism such as skin burns, oils to prevent skin burns and sun glasses. While evidence abounds how these basic supplies improve lives they are hardly available; and where available totally inaccessible for the majority.<\/p>\n
In addition charitable organizations-and individuals too – should support with wide brimmed hats for protection of the skin from the sun.<\/p>\n
One major problem that people with albinism face apart from the effects of the sun is poor vision. This condition affects learning because due to difficulties in reading. Many are known to drop out of school owing to lack of support aside from the spirit-breaking bullying that they often suffer.<\/p>\n
Three actions can be taken within the framework of \u2018positive discrimination\u2019 for empowerment:<\/p>\n
Practice should give priority to children with albinism in allocating boarding places particularly at secondary school. Government should initiate discussion with private schools with boarding facilities to increase enrolment of children with albinism while ensuring good ensuring security.<\/p>\n
Second the initiative lends itself to PPP strategies intended to provide scholarships and material support to children with albinism to create more models of success. Development charities working with schools must deliberately prioritise children with vulnerabilities not least those with albinism.<\/p>\n
And third, government should provide essential assistive devices that the children with disabilities need as well as link them up with health facilities for routine check-ups and treatment.<\/p>\n
One commentator uniquely suggests that children with albinism should access vocational technical training and or other trades that optimise opportunities for indoor work away from heat and sun.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Malawi needs nationwide multi-media communication for change targeting policy, practice and behaviour. Of immediate importance remains the elimination of all forms of violence with the exit goal of achieving \u2018full, normal and happy lives\u2019 for all people with albinism.<\/p>\n
Not least communication experts could use of models and modelling for example through documentaries that chronicle the lives of successful people with albinism.<\/p>\n
It is time to critically discuss widely and openly with the help of the media what challenges people with albinism face in schools, in communities and households within human a rights and uMunthu framework.<\/p>\n
In closing, desperate situations demand desperate actions. Yes exceptional challenges call for responses. The maiming, killing and de-humanising of people with albinism must stop.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The situation of persons with Albinism in Malawi and the Great Lakes Region remains a simmering crisis. In large part, this owes to the fact that albinism is a grossly misunderstood condition more so in traditional, conservative and superstitious societies of sub-Saharan Africa. The majority are abused and killed in the mistaken belief that they […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":20235,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26276"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26277,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26276\/revisions\/26277"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}