Belonging begins with safety

People with albinism in Malawi and other parts of Africa are hunted down simply for how they look.

For them, work is not only a source of livelihood, but also a flashpoint for discrimination, systemic violence and a constant threat.

“I just want to work without fear,” the haunting but not uncommon phrase is the title of a new report on the economic exclusion of persons with albinism in Malawi.

The Human Rights Watch and Africa Albinism Network launched a report on the eve of International Albinism Awareness Day, June 13, when advocates, community leaders and partners signed the Global Charter for Belonging in Lilongwe.

They committed to collective action to advance safety, dignity, opportunity and belonging for people with albinism.

The right to belong is not a luxury or lofty idea, but an everyday expression of the right to safety, dignity, education, health, work and equal protection under the law.

It is the opportunity to participate fully in society, earn a living, contribute your talents and shape your own future.

Yet, across parts of Africa, recent incidents are proving how this fundamental framework can break down.

While several countries have taken important steps to address violence, abductions and brutal killings targeting individuals with albinism, recent cases in Madagascar, Malawi and Uganda underscore that these threats have not disappeared.

Driven by deep-seated myths and the belief that the body parts of people with albinism bring wealth or good fortune, some people with albinism continue to face violence and other serious human rights abuses.

When a child with albinism cannot walk to school without fear, their right to education is compromised. When a family must live behind locked doors, their right to security is shattered.

When attacks go unpunished, equal protection under the law is weakened.

People with albinism deserve more than survival. They deserve the opportunity to belong and thrive, not economic exclusion.

When people are excluded from work, training, financial systems or leadership roles, they lose income, recognition, independence and the opportunity to contribute as equals. This reality is especially stark in Malawi, where persons with albinism account for nearly one percent of the population—almost 135 000 people—yet about 85 percent live in poverty.

The result is a cycle in which stigma, insecurity and economic hardship reinforce one another, denying people with albinism to access opportunities and participate fully in society.

Belonging means the opportunity to live without fear of violence or stigma.

It means access to healthcare, protection from skin cancer and support for low vision as well as schools where children are not bullied or trapped by low expectations.

It means decent work, economic opportunity and social protection. And it means public stories that challenge superstition, recognising people with albinism as neighbours, leaders, artists, parents, and equal citizens.

The Global Charter for Belonging seeks to bridge this gap between principles and practice.

The document is a call to reflect on our systems and policies, take meaningful action, collaborate with those most impacted and amplify their voices and proven solutions in our communities.

In Malawi, this work is being led by people with albinism, together with advocates and community organisations who have long been building belonging from the ground up.

By signing the charter, governments, employers, schools, community leaders and the media pledge to play their part in ensuring that people with albinism can participate fully in society, work with dignity and live without fear.

The International Albinism Awareness Day is an annual observance, but we cannot claim to honour human rights until every person with albinism is granted the peace of mind that they belong— wholly, safely and inherently—among us.

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