Dignity, Community and Albinism in Malawi (original) (raw)
Related papers
Journal of Human Rights and Social Work, 2019
The mythology of most African societies includes the belief in patriarchy and primogeniture, holding the view that succession and the continuity of family lineage are only possible through the males. As such, women are considered inferior to men and often treated with prejudice. Albinism is also treated with prejudice in African societies. This includes the belief that sexual intercourse with a woman or a girl with albinism can cure serious infections like HIV/AIDS. Thus, in addition to common forms of discrimination and abuse suffered by women in Sub-Saharan Africa, those with albinism are particularly vulnerable to rape and sexual violation. In extreme cases, especially in East and Central Africa; these women and other persons with albinism are kidnapped for sacrifice or ritual purposes. Their vital organs are harvested for preparing Bcharms^for magic and spiritual powers. In other cases, they are simply murdered to ensure that they do not procreate. This paper explores common myth-based violations against women with albinism in Africa. It argues that these women suffer the tragedy of double prejudice and special violations to dignity and life, contrary to standard templates of international human rights. It then suggests specific measures for dealing with these violations at all levels: societal, municipal, regional, and international. Significantly, the paper raises global consciousness on the persecution of minorities, especially women and girls with albinism in Africa.
We Are Human, Just Like You: Albinism in Malawi -Implications for Security
Journal of Humanities, 2021
The plight of people with albinism in Malawi has received little attention, despite evidence of increasing attacks on people with albinism for their body parts for use in rituals in recent years. While a recent spate of attacks on people with albinism in late 2020 and early 2021 has drawn the attention of international organizations, relative inaction on the part of the authorities places the security of people with albinism in Malawi firmly in their own hands, and those of their families and communities. This article draws on the findings of participatory research undertaken between 2015 and 2019 to explore context-specific knowledge about the security of people with albinism in Malawi and to reveal perceptions of what makes people with albinism secure or insecure. It traces the roots of these attacks in the beliefs associated with albinism and other disabilities, the various threats to people with albinism in Malawi, and responses put in place at different levels of society to ensure their personal security. Framed in relation to critical work in the field of human security, our findings underscore the importance of changing societal attitudes and developing a coordinated collaborative response to bring about effective and lasting change.
Journal for the Study of Religion
Albinism, an inherited condition from birth as a result of the lack of melanin pigment which usually changes the colour of the skin, hair and eyes, is usually greeted with resentment in most African communities. In Ghana, some communities and families consider it a misfortune to give birth to Albinos and hence, attempts are made to either kill them at birth or banish them from the community. They are constantly abused and ridiculed by the public with derogatory names and social tags that serve as a form of stigmatization. Evidently, it is clear that the discrimination against albinos in Ghana are underlain by religious and cultural beliefs. This article takes into perspective how religious beliefs and cultural values contribute to the plight of albinos in Ghana and further, discusses how the inculturation of human rights can help mitigate the violence that is perpetrated against persons with albinism.
2020
This dissertation offers a critical ethical analysis of African traditional beliefs surrounding people living with albinism. It argues that people living with albinism are socially excluded in some African traditional communities because they are not perceived as human beings. This dissertation provides an overview of some on the African traditional beliefs surrounding albinism, through a desk top study. Albinism seems to be a two-edge sword: on the one hand, it is believed that people with albinism are born with special powers that can bring wealth, and that their body parts can enrich people. On the other hand, people living with albinism are believed to bring bad luck and that having relations with them will bring bad luck. The Study highlights beliefs and perceptions such as: PWA are perceived as Ghosts, having sexual intercourse with a person living with albinism can cure HIV and AIDS andthe body parts of people living with albinism can make a good portion of muthi. As a result of the above beliefs, people living with albinism often live in fear of being killed, raped, discriminated against, alienated and abducted. It is against this backdrop that this dissertation, through the lens of Limited communitarianism, which is closely related to the right-based approach argues that albinism is a disorder which results in pigmentation therefore there is a need to ensure proper education to the community regarding albinism. Furthermore, the dissertation argues that people living with albinism are humans with rights and they are not ghost, therefore they should be respected for their humanity.
Africans with albinism experience stigma and discrimination as people with white skin in black societies, and as people with disabilities of low vision or blindness and susceptibility to contracting skin cancers. A more recent form of discrimination is attacks against people with albinism, only reported by news media in Tanzania since 2006. Violence in the Great Lakes district appears to be driven by traditional 'witchdoctors' and carried out by contract killers to meet a market for albino body parts along an axis of wealth and poverty. This paper discusses how discrimination and violence against people with albinism, especially children, is portrayed in Swahili and English Tanzanian news articles of 2008-2012. A content analysis reveals that coverage is most commonly framed in terms of law enforcement and national shame, reflecting sourcing from court and police reports and politicians' statements, with some human rights framing. This analysis also shows how people with albinism are portrayed as 'skin-disabled', humans with rights and as economic commodities, and their attackers as subhuman and betrayers of the nation. Although such violence is seen as shameful, Tanzanian media provides public space for African people to debate and shape knowledge about the impact of cultural and economic development on disadvantaged persons with albinism.
Religion Amidst the Killings of Albino Persons in Tanzania
Journal of Cultural and Religious Studies
Tanzania is one of the so-called "developing countries" in Africa. According to the census of 2012, the country has a population of more than 44 million people. Albinos persons (people with skin impairment) are included within this population. In these days, the Tanzanian society witnesses dreadful killings of people with albinism just for cultural and traditional reasons. The major claim purported by killers is mostly economic, that some organs of people with albinism can be used by business people to acquire more profits in their businesses. Following this reason, people with albinism live in a very suspicious life because most of them have been hunted and murdered. Their human dignity has been jeopardized in favor of material wealth. Since scarce researches, if any, have been conducted in regard to the role of religion towards the dignity and value of people with albinism in areas of theology and religion, this paper provokes theologians and scholars in various professions towards discussing and analyzing critically the role of religion in the midst of horrible incidences of violence facing people with albinism. The major question is the following: How does religion deal with differences in the Tanzanian society to promote human dignity and mutual life among people despite their differences?
Malawi has experienced a boom in radio and television stations, newspapers, online media, and a democratic dispensation has been put in place, but reporting of human rights abuses in the country is unsatisfactory. One of the most pressing issues at the moment in the country is the killing, maiming, abduction and disappearance of persons with albinism. Persons with albinism face discrimination and stigma based on false beliefs. A content analysis of Malawian newspaper articles on the attacks on persons with albinism suggests that reporting is largely specific, reactive and superficial. The articles from the Times Media Group and Nation Publications Limited published between 2016 and 2018, seem not to aim at demystifying the issue of albinism as a mere disability, and the press portray persons with albinism as helpless victims of voodoo. There is hardly any framing of articles to show positive contributions or normalcy of persons with albinism. The Malawian newspapers should highlight their achievements and portray them as more than mere victims. Additionally, there is a role for investigative journalism to help in tracking buyers of body parts of persons with albinism. Better reporting of violations would ultimately help raise human rights standards in Malawi and Africa as a whole.
Albinism in Tanzania: a Human Rights Issue. An Experience of Monitoring the 'White Blacks'
This study provides a critical analysis of the current situation faced by people with albinism in Tanzania. It considers the problems daily faced by them and has the ultimate goal of demonstrating that these individuals do not enjoy the same rights as other people. The surplus value of this work is to be based on a research on the field and to be inspired on Human Rights Monitoring principles and techniques.