Living in the Shadows: Children with Albinism in Africa

This Pan-African report analyses the situation of children with albinism across Africa, documenting widespread human rights violations including stigma, discrimination, ritual violence, exclusion from education and health services, and lack of access to justice. Drawing on a continent-wide literature review and qualitative case studies in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania, the publication examines legal and policy frameworks, gaps in implementation, and the lived experiences of affected children and families. It highlights the intersection of disability, childhood, gender and poverty, underscores the invisibility of children with albinism in official data systems, and identifies promising practices and policy responses. The report concludes with evidence-based recommendations for governments, African Union bodies, civil society and international actors to strengthen protection, inclusion and rights realisation for children with albinism in Africa.