13/06/2026
PROUDLY IN MY SKIN, CELEBRATING ALL SKIN TONES
It's now over a decade since we celebrated International Albinism Awareness Day. This day is an opportunity for us to celebrate our diversity, the beauty, strength, and dignity of persons with albinism while raising awareness about the challenges that we continue to face as persons with albinism.
Albinism is a genetic condition that affects melanin production, resulting in little or no pigmentation in the skin, hair, and eyes. It is not a curse, a disease, or a condition that will bring you luck, as some believe it to be.
While we celebrate this year, IAAD, we still want to highlight the continuous challenges faced by persons with albinism simply because of their skin color. Colour discrimination, stigmatization, attitudinal barriers driven by wrong beliefs, access to inclusive education, adequate health services, justice, and employment are some of the persistent challenges we face
While we raise these challenges, we also provide a solution, the NATF, working with DWYPD and the SAHRC, is in the process of finalizing the NAP on albinism, which must be adopted by Cabinet. The objectives of the NAP are to identify specific and concrete measures, as well as priority interventions, aimed at:
i. Accelerating social inclusion and reducing the stigmatisation of persons with albinism;
ii. Reducing verbal and physical attacks, including ritual attacks, trafficking, communal violence, and cyberbullying against persons with albinism;
iii. Ensuring access to healthcare, early childhood development, education, social and economic empowerment initiatives, justice, psychosocial support services, and other fundamental human rights;
iv. Addressing the specific challenges faced by women and girls with albinism; and
v. Strengthening the monitoring, evaluation, and accountability mechanisms of the National Action Plan.
The WHO's approval of SPH 50 sunscreen last year was a great achievement, further emphasizing the importance of access and availability of this product for PWA.
This year, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of Children adopted the guiding note on Reporting on the Rights and Welfare of Children with Albinism in Africa
As I close, we are calling all stakeholders and sectors our families and mostly our communities, let us work together to build societies that value diversity, value each and every life, but mostly protect human dignity
Happy International Albinism Awareness Day
Thank you
