Zambia records about 40 cases targeting persons with albinism
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Local NewsAn official from the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services has disclosed that the country records about 40 cases of physical attacks, abductions, and limb mutilations targeting persons with albinism, fueled by dangerous ritual myths. Ministry of Community…
An official from the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services has disclosed that the country records about 40 cases of physical attacks, abductions, and limb mutilations targeting persons with albinism, fueled by dangerous ritual myths.
Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, Senior Social Welfare Officer Douglas Nyeleti noted that lives of persons with albinism are under threat as it is believed that their body parts can be used for rituals to make money.
Mr Nyeleti said this today when he led a Team of officials from the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, Africa Albinism Network, Cheshire Homes Society of Zambia and Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities ( ZAPD) and Caritas Zambia-Mpika in paying courtesy call on Muchinga Provincial Administration.
The courtesy was done ahead of a sensitization meeting and roll out of the 2026-2030 National Action Plan aimed at combating discrimination against persons with albinism.
Mr Nyeleti said the injustices faced by persons living with albinism is what steered Zambia to come up with a specific Action plan to protect persons living with albinism to coordinate activities directed towards the protection of persons living with albinism.
Mr Nyeleti said Persons living with Albinism are prone to skin cancer caused by sun rays, adding that according to research this type of Cancer is a number one killer of the albinism population.
He said the National Action Plan drawn from Africa Plan of Action has been designed to address issues affecting persons living with albinism as they face unique challenges from the other person’s living with disabilities.
Meanwhile, Muchinga Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Grant Chisapa who received the stakeholders during a courtesy call at his office in Chinsali urged stakeholders to maximize President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration’s goodwill to protect persons living with disabilities.
“Let us take advantage of the good will put across by our President, where issues of disability are being championed at high level of administration, this time around we have 5 five percent of representation in Parliament which opens the doors for all of us to champion disability issues,” he said
And Africa Albinism Network-Tanzania, Programmes Manager Annabahati Gwacha said collaborations are key as criminal networks operate trans-national, regional.
Ms Gwacha, pointed out that she believes that Zambia’s proactive framework sets a vital regional benchmark for safety among persons living with albinism.
“With the fact that across the Border there has been that movement of perpetrators, with Zambia joining by having its National Action Plan on protection of person living with albinism will be of help to close existing gaps,” she said
Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) Public Interest and Human Rights Committee member, Lydia Zulu said systemic gaps in justice delivery are also under scrutiny.
She highlighted that LAZ is happy that the Nation Action Plan is looking at legal reforms for the protection of persons living with albinism.
Several other stakeholders echoed these sentiments, highly praising the government’s renewed, legislative commitment to upholding the welfare and basic human rights of all persons living with disabilities.
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