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Disability Rights Unit co-hosts workshop on the promotion of the rights of persons with albinism at the Pan-African Parliament

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Students at the 2018 Welcoming Ceremony

On 4 March 2019, the Disability Rights Unit of the Centre for Human Rights (Centre), University of Pretoria, in collaboration with the with the office of the UN Independent expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, hosted a workshop at the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) on the rights of persons with albinism in Africa.

The workshop was held at a Committee sitting of PAP in Midrand (South Africa), with the purpose to deliberate on measures for the effective implementation of the Resolution on Persons with Albinism in Africa (PAP.4/PLN/RES/05/MAY.18) which was adopted by PAP on 18 May 2018.

The workshop was attended by the PAP’s Committee on Justice and Human Rights. The workshop was co-chaired by the Chairperson of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights (Hon Nyirarukundo) as well as the chairperson of the Rules committee (Hon Kalyan).

The workshop featured presentations by Jehoshaphat Njau and Michael Nyarko (Centre for Human Rights), Perpetua Senkoro (Under the Same Sun), Pamela Juma (Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi), Muleya Mwananyanda (Amnesty International of South Africa), Franck Hounsa Houetehou (Connexion Worldwide) and Nomasonto Mazibuko (Albinism Society of South Africa).  These presentations were aimed at sensitising the committee on the violations of the human rights of persons with albinism in Africa as well as drawing the Committee’s attention to the urgent need for action so as bring an end to these violations.

Thereafter, proposed implementation measures of the Resolution were presented to the Committee for consideration and deliberation for adoption at the Ordinary Session in May 2019. During the deliberations, the Committee made recommendations so as to broaden the scope of the proposed measures and requested for the revision of the proposed measures before they can be endorsed for adoption.

The Centre commends the Pan-Africa Parliament for holding this workshop, it is a testament of PAP's intent to bring to an end the violation of the rights of persons with albinism in Africa.