{"id":6420,"date":"2022-06-02T16:08:18","date_gmt":"2022-06-02T16:08:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondsuncare.org\/?p=6420"},"modified":"2022-06-02T16:08:18","modified_gmt":"2022-06-02T16:08:18","slug":"world-albinism-awareness-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondsuncare.org\/en\/world-albinism-awareness-day\/","title":{"rendered":"World Albinism Awareness Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the highest prevalence of albinism in the world.<\/span> June 13 marks the International Albinism Awareness Day<\/b>, a day to reflect on the plight of people with albinism in many parts of the world, especially on the African continent.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Around the mid-2000s, the number of violent attacks and murders of people with albinism in Tanzania increased alarmingly. During those years and up to 2015, there were more than 70 fatalities in the country according to known data, although it could be many more. In response to this situation, the Tanzania Albinism Society (TAS) and other NGOs began campaigning for the human rights of people with albinism. On May 4, 2006, TAS celebrated the first National Albino Day and from 2009 it was called National Albinism Day.<\/span><\/p>\n

On December 18, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing this day to bring visibility to the genetic condition of albinism, as well as to people with albinism, their achievements and the difficulties they continue to face on a daily basis in many countries. Human rights advocate Yusuf Mohamed Ismail Ismail Bari-Bari, ambassador of the Somali Mission to the UN, led the effort to pass this resolution that <\/span>aims to promote and protect the rights of people with albinism, especially in Africa.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

This 2022 the slogan chosen has been ‘United to make our voices heard’, as listening to people with albinism, their experiences and their feelings is essential to ensure equality and their full inclusion. It is essential to<\/span> increase the visibility of people with albinism and to highlight the examples of overcoming and resilience, of which there are many.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

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Other years’ slogans have been:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

2016 –<\/b> Celebrate diversity; promote inclusion; protect our rights<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2017 – <\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Advancing with renewed hope<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2018 – <\/b>Shining our light to the world\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2019 – <\/b>\u00a0Still standing strong<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2020 – <\/b>\u00a0Made to shine\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2021 –<\/b> Strength beyond all odds\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Albinism\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

This genetic condition remains largely unknown in many communities in sub-Saharan Africa, so people with albinism are discriminated against and have serious problems integrating into society. Moreover, the main cause of their extreme vulnerability is the sun: skin cancer is the leading cause of death among people with albinism, ending their lives at an early age, before the age of 30.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With 1 dermatologist for every 3.5 million people, and 1 cancer treatment facility for every 10 million inhabitants, their situation is very complex. Skin cancer is an epidemic among people with albinism in Africa.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Achievements and challenges that remain to be met<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Ikponwosa Ero, the first <\/span>United Nations Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism<\/span>, presented a report<\/a> at the end of 2020 highlighting the many achievements since she began her mandate in 2014<\/strong>. Among them were:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n