June 20th marks World Refugee Day and this year’s theme is “Whoever, Wherever, whenever. Everybody has the right to seek safety.” World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honor refugees across the globe and as Albinism Umbrella we stand in unison with all the Albinism refugees all over the world to celebrate this day.
The day celebrated aims at raising awareness on the plight of refugees, build empathy, understanding for the refugees’ plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives as the year’s theme is focused on the right to seek safety regardless of who one is.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees[UNHCR], there are 65.3 million individuals worldwide with half of them being children who have been forcefully displaced and live in villages known as settlements where they co-exit with other communities. About 85% of the refugees are being hosted in developing countries and Uganda is one of them.
With an economic downturn, Uganda is the largest refugee hosting country in Africa and forth in the world with an estimate of 1,573,291 and 17,631 being persons with disabilities, among these include people with Albinism. There’s also an approximate daily number of over 42,500 individuals worldwide who escape their homes in search for safety within their own country or other nation’s borders and this includes Persons with Albinism.
Persons with Albinism are not only affected by the sun due to the absence of melanin in their bodies which brings about the difference in their skin color, eyes and hair, but they have also been forced to become refugees. Violence, persecution, political instability and climate change are driving the growing numbers of refugees across borders causing them to flee in search of safe havens. Hence, refugees including Persons with Albinism come from all over the globe to get out of harm’s way.
The villages in which they are settled enable them to gain access to national systems, particularly education, health and livelihood sectors. Although some of these settlements have not fully embraced Persons with Albinism as they are still faced with discrimination, killings and exclusion from some social services in their communities. Even in refuge, many continue to be vulnerable to marginalization due to their appearance and many organizations are working to see to it that the settlements are a safe place for them.
During the recently concluded International Albinism Awareness Day under the theme “United in making our voice heard,” a National Action Plan for Persons with Albinism was launched by the Government of Uganda, United Nations Human Rights (UNHR) and Albinism Umbrella. It is aimed at creating an equal ground for Persons with Albinism and amplify their voices and visibility in all areas of life.
We continue to remind the world that Persons with Albinism deserve to have their rights to life and security therefore let’s stands together as we create a friendly environment for them.
Last modified: February 8, 2024
