International Albinism Awareness Day: History, Significance, and Theme of the Day

International Albinism Awareness Day is celebrated by the United Nations on June 13 every year. Here’s all you want to be familiar with the date, history, significance, and theme of this extended time of Albinism Awareness Day.

Albinism is an uncommon and hereditarily health ailment present upon entering the world, which brings about an absence of pigmentation (melanin) in the hair, skin, and eyes, making weakness the sun and brilliant light but on the other hand, is non-infectious.

There is no remedy for the shortfall of melanin that is fundamental to albinism and practically all individuals with albinism are outwardly disabled and are inclined to create skin cancer in certain countries, a larger part of persons with albinism kick the bucket from skin cancer somewhere in the range of 30 and 40 years old.

International Albinism Awareness Day History and Significance

The United Nations Human Rights Council embraced a resolution in 2013 requiring the counteraction of assaults and intolerance against persons with albinism since it is still significantly misjudged, socially and restoratively and the actual appearance of persons with albinism is in many cases the object of mistaken convictions and legends impacted by superstition, which encourage their minimization and social rejection and prompts different types of disgrace and separation.

On 18 December 2014, the General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring, with impact from 2015, 13 June as International Albinism Awareness Day. In light of the call from civil society associations pushing to consider persons with albinism as a particular gathering with specific necessities that require unique consideration, the Council made the command of Independent Expert on the delight in basic freedoms by persons with albinism on March 26, 2015.

International Albinism Awareness Day 2022 Theme

The theme for International Albinism Awareness Day 2022 is “United in making our voice heard”. As per the United Nations, the subject was picked on the grounds that incorporating voices of persons with albinism is fundamental to guarantee balance #Inclusion4equality; to celebrate how groups of persons with albinism and persons increment the visibility of persons with albinism in all spaces of life; to energize and celebrate solidarity among gatherings of persons with albinism; to enhance the voices and visibility of persons with albinism in all everyday issues; to feature the work being finished by albinism groups all over the world.

Genetic Condition

Albinism is a Genetic condition bringing about practically zero pigmentation in the skin, hair, and eyes. In a few societies all over the world, and especially in numerous African countries, individuals with albinism live with a steady feeling of dread toward murder. Others experience extreme segregation and bullying.

Local superstitions claim their body parts can bring luck and flourish. Another widespread rumor is that albinos are evil spirits.

The country with the most elevated level of albinos is accepted to be Tanzania. In 2013, an independent documentary called “In the Shadow of the Sun” was released. The film by director Harry Freeland recounts the story of Josephat Torner from Tanzania, who has albinism. Together, they traveled around Tanzania for years to spread information about the widely misunderstood disorder.

The documentary, alongside a few different films, has been a useful asset in the battle against the persecution of individuals with albinism, which is at times abbreviated as PWA.

The Right to Dignity

International Albinism Awareness Day was taken on by the UN General Assembly on December 18, 2014. The resolution “encourages the UN Member States to continue their efforts to protect and preserve the rights of persons with albinism to life, dignity, and security, as well as their right not to be subject to torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and to continue their efforts to ensure equal access for persons with albinism to employment, education, justice and the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health.”