IT is sad that people living with albinism continue to be attacked in Zambia and more needs to be done to address human rights violations.
The Albino Foundation of Zambia (AFZ) has been relentlessly been campaigning for the equal treatment of people living with albinism and for an end to the misconception that their bodies could be used to gain wealth.
Reports indicate that there are about at-least 10 albinos murdered in ritual killings every year in Zambia by people with the wrong misconception that acquiring Albino body parts has the potential to give them wealth or luck.
The cases of albino killings in Zambia seem to be on the rise again through with neighbouring Tanzania believed to be the main business hotspot where, according to the Red Cross, witchdoctors pay up to US$75,000 for a complete set of albino body parts.
The last census conducted showed that Zambia had about 25, 324 people with albinism who sadly continue to live in fear despite the efforts by the government to promote their welfare including prohibiting racial discrimination and brutal attacks.
People with albinism do not enjoy their freedom of movement as they constantly fear being attacked.
The situation is bad to the extent that some parents fear to even to allow their children to school especially in rural areas where they have to endure long walk to go to and from school.
It is a known fact that people living with albinism fail to enjoy the various rights enriched in the constitution.
In some cases, people with albinism have been impeded from exercising their right to marry someone of their choice while some employers are reportedly reluctant to hire persons with albinism for reasons related to their different appearance, especially in posts where the employee is in contact with the public.
Delusions about persons with albinism, notably that they are less productive, carry curses and in most cases lies that they infect others with their condition and this has deterred some employers from hiring them.
It is even more difficult for persons with albinism to find a decent job when they have not been given the chance to complete higher education.
Again fear driven by superstitious beliefs has had a negative impact on the way albinos are treated and this could be attributed to the scarcity of correct information.
This therefore calls on government to ensure that adequate information is given out to ensure people with albinism are treated as equals and with time end the ongoing discrimination.
It is encouraging that the New Dawn government wants to ensure people with albinism are protected from any discrimination and attacks.
But government should go a step further and ensure proper accountability is in place for employers to adhere to the principle of equality and equity where people with albinism involved in seeking for employment and holding actual employment posts.
People with albinism need to be empowered and given equal opportunities to participate in decision making through appointment as well as contesting for leadership positions.
Government should come to the aid of people with albinism by providing them with easy access to their special skin care and low vision clinics including training more dermatologists and optometrists specialised in albinism.
Skin cancer treatment should be strengthened including training nurses and midwives on albinism and provision of counselling to parents especially when babies with albinism are born.
A lot needs to be done through nationwide public awareness raising campaign to debunk these false myths about albinism. Members of the public should be educated about its nature, challenges and possible solutions.
Doing so might help curb existing ignorance which is the root cause of discrimination of people with albinism.