Abstract:
Discrimination and stigma relating to persons with albinism remain the norm in
many African countries. There are documented reports of how persons with
albinism have been subjected to gross human-rights violations owing to their colour.
While attention has been given to the killings of persons with albinism worldwide,
little attention has been given to other human-rights violations they encounter while
seeking social services, particularly healthcare services. Discrimination against
persons with albinism can lead to deleterious health consequences and at the same
time hinder access to care for them. Women are generally historically disadvantaged
and continue to encounter challenges with regard to their sexual and reproductive
health. Being a woman with albinism can aggravate the situation as these women
may encounter multiple forms of discrimination in healthcare settings. Thus, this
paper examines the human-rights challenges relating to the health of persons with
albinism with a focus on women with albinism in Africa. It draws on the
intersectionality approach to argue that women with albinism suffer from multiple
forms of discrimination, which further compound access to healthcare services for
them. It discusses the relevance of regional human-rights instruments in addressing
the right to healthcare of women with albinism. In particular, the paper discusses
the potential of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights
on the Rights of Women in Africa and the norms developed by the African
Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights as well as its counterparts at the
international level in advancing the right to health of women with albinism in the region. Furthermore,
the paper recommends to the African Commission and African governments
measures and steps to adopt in order to safeguard the right to health of women with
albinism in the region.
