Quality education still unattainable for most persons with albinism: UN expert

GENEVA (6 March 2024) – Although progress has been made worldwide on completion of primary and secondary schools under the Sustainable Development Goal commitments for many persons with albinism, a quality education is still unattainable, a UN expert warned today.

“The right to education is touted as a universally recognised norm of international law and yet, a multitude of barriers still severely hinder persons with albinism from accessing this right,” said Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond, the UN expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism.

In her report to the Human Rights Council, Miti-Drummond noted that among common barriers to quality education are the exclusion of persons with albinism from school curricula, sports, and higher education; a lack of reasonable accommodation including assistive devices; challenges in traveling to schools due to inaccessible transport systems; fear of attacks; fear of harsh exposure to the sun which can lead to skin cancer; and pervasive stigma and discrimination which often lead to bullying.

“I am deeply saddened at the volumes of reports I get on rampant bullying and mistreatment of persons with albinism, including from educators, which essentially prevents them completing school and accessing adequate education,” Miti-Drummond said. “Robust efforts are needed to raise awareness on albinism, particularly among professionals working in the education sector,” she said. “This will help to tackle the root causes of stigma and discrimination persons with albinism experience in many countries. Education must also be tailored to the specific needs of persons with albinism, as they are also persons with disabilities due to their visual impairment and their high susceptibility to skin cancer,” the expert said.

Barriers to quality education are exacerbated in lower-income countries where persons with albinism may not be able to access assistive devices or learning materials tailored to aid their visual impairment. Yet in higher-income countries, the struggle to achieve quality education also exists, hence the need to globally adopt measures to effectively tackle these barriers.

The expert highlighted progress in some countries, which provide reasonable accommodation in class and during exams for persons with albinism and campaigns aimed at reducing the risk of skin cancer, including partnerships between States and civil society organisations to distribute sunscreen and magnifiers. “Mentorship programmes and scholarships for learners with albinism are also provided in some countries which alleviate financial burdens for learners with albinism,” she said.

“In spite of these good practices, there is a long way to go to ensure quality education is a reality for persons with albinism,” Miti-Drummond said, calling on States to take recommendations in her report on board. “A quality education is an important pathway for persons with albinism to attain meaningful and impactful lives,” she said.

The expert also presented findings from her country visit to Panama to the Human Rights Council.