CCJP promotes rights of people with albinism

Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) has launched a five-month project to promote the rights of women and girls with albinism in Mangochi and Balaka districts.

Speaking on Thursday in Mangochi when he briefed the district’s executive committee members about the project, CCJP national coordinator Boniface Chibwana said the project seeks to respond to human rights violations persons with albinism face in the two districts.

He said: “From the previous interventions we implemented in Zomba and Machinga districts, we recorded issues of stigma and discrimination against persons with albinism.

“Persons with albinism also complained about lack of access to healthcare and justice. Therefore, we came up with this project to address these challenges.”

Chibwana further said during legal clinics CCJP held in Machinga and Zomba, it was established that women and girls with albinism face more challenges than their male counterparts.

“Women and girls with albinism endure a lot. Men abandon them once they give birth and they are sidelined in Social Cash Transfer Programme, Affordable Inputs Programme and others. We will empower them to demand their rights,” he said.

Mangochi District Civil Society Organisations Network vice-chairperson Dickens Mahwayo welcomed the project, saying it will address challenges persons with albinism face.

“Mangochi is one of the districts with many persons with albinism and they face many problems, including economic and human rights violations,” he said.

Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi Mangochi secretary Lexa Zakaria commended the project, saying it will empower them to know their rights.

“We will be able to demand our rights from duty-bearers to live a dignified life,” she said.

With funding from the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives, CCJP is implementing the Protection and Promotion of Rights of Women and Girls with Albinism in Malawi Project in traditional authorities (T/As) Mponda and Bwananyambi in Mangochi and T/As Kalembo and Nsamala in Balaka.