June 13 is International Albinism Awareness Day

 

United Nstions Secretary General, Bon Ki-Moon has called for an end to stigmatisation against people living with albinism.

In a message to mark this year's lnternational Albinism Awareness Day,  he called on all countries and stakeholders to recognise that human rights apply to all people everywhere, including people with albinism.

"I urge them to make special efforts to end the discrimination that threatens the wellbeing, health and even the lives of people living with albinism and to target them with programmes that will enable them play a full part in the society", he said.

IAAD is an annual United Nations observance held on June 13. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014. The date of June 13 was chosen because on that day in 2013, the United Nations adopted the first resolution on albinism.

On this second celebration of IAAD, Ban Ki-Moon also expressed his pleasure at the appointment of the first lndependent expert on enjoyment of the human rights by people living with albinism. Ms Ikponwosa Ero, a Nigerian living with albinism was appointed the first lndependent expert last year.

The theme for this year's international day is "celebrate diversity, promote inclusion, protect our rights". IAAD focuses on raising public awareness of albinism and preventing attacks and discrimination against people with albinism.

In Nigeria, two NGOs -The Albinism Foundation (TAF) and The Albinism Network Association (TANA) have lined up activities to mark the day in Abuja and Lagos respectively.

Albinism is a congenital disorder characterised by partial or complete absence of the pigment melanin in the skin, hair and eyes. It is found in every country and society in the world regardless of people's ethnicity or gender. Also, it has been subjected to mystification, triggering erroneous beliefs and myths which have resulted to attacks, abductions and killings of people with albinism.