[fblike]

Follow us on facebook

Justice Hub
  • My Justice
  • News
  • Insights
  • Justice Explained
  • About Us
No Result
View All Result
Justice Hub
  • My Justice
  • News
  • Insights
  • Justice Explained
  • About Us
No Result
View All Result
Justice Hub
No Result
View All Result
Home Justice Explained

On growing up with albinism in Africa: “I didn’t want to be seen as nonhuman”

December 17, 2017
in Justice Explained
0
0
On growing up with albinism in Africa: “I didn’t want to be seen as nonhuman”
FacebookTwitterLinkedInWhatsappEmail

By Justice Hub

Jane Waithera is an advocate for the rights of people with albinism. At a recent Hague Talks themed on “How do we break social taboos”  Waithera told a packed audience how, right from her birth, the society she was born into made her feel like she didn’t belong.

“I remember growing up and being the only kid who looked like me,” she said.

“I recall so many memories and some of them are of children coming to pinch me and watch my skin turn white and red. Others actually using razor blades and knives to cut my skin to see if I could bleed.”

The treatment wasn’t any different from the adults who were supposed to know better. Even her own “mom” and teachers at schools treated her as a spectacle at times. 

“I recall my mom every time I was with her she would actually call people to come closer to look at me,” says Waithera.

“Even the teachers in the school that I went to were not at my defence,” she says. 

In the video below Waithera opens up further about her difficult childhood and the unsettling news that she got at 18. Waithera also speaks to the threat people with albinism face from those practising witchcraft in Africa and what she’s doing to change things for the better.

You might also be interested in watching this talk by Leiden University Professor Judi Mesman from the same Hague Talks event. Mesman expertly dismantled the fallacy of colourblind parenting and explained why it is important for parents to be careful how they act and what they say about ‘others’ including other races, in front of children.

Tags: advocacyhuman rights
ShareTweetShareSendSend

Justice Hub

Justice Hub is an online platform connecting conversations about international justice and peace.

Related Posts

European justice strikes on crimes in Syria
Justice Explained

European justice strikes on crimes in Syria

by Thierry Cruvellier
February 26, 2019
0
294

A new complaint was filed in Sweden on 19 February against some 20 Syrians suspected of international crimes. This complaint...

Read more
A legal path to justice emerges for Myanmar

A legal path to justice emerges for Myanmar

October 7, 2018
134
Lawfare: Iran-US nuclear deal row to play out in Hague Courtroom (Part I)

Lawfare: Iran-US nuclear deal row to play out in Hague Courtroom (Part I)

September 26, 2018
145
A trial for history: Thomas Kwoyelo in Uganda

A trial for history: Thomas Kwoyelo in Uganda

September 25, 2018
297
Celebrating women in peacekeeping

Celebrating women in peacekeeping

September 24, 2018
125

Justice Hub

Justice Hub is an online platform connecting conversations about international justice and peace.

Justice Hub

Justice Hub reflects conversations on accountability and access to justice. We feature change-makers, researchers, and justice activists who make concrete the abstract concepts of Justice and Rule of Law. Justice Hub - alongside our sister project Hague Talks is powered by the Hague Project Peace and Justice – a network of over 200 Hague-based organisations working on peace and justice issues.

Follow Us

Quick Links

  • Featured
  • My Justice
  • News
  • Insights
  • Justice Explained
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

 

  HPPJ Forum Login
Creative Commons Licence
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
No Result
View All Result
  • My Justice
  • News
  • Insights
  • Justice Explained
  • About Us

© 2018 Justice Hub

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Fill the forms bellow to register

*By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Login

Lost password?
Create New Account
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.

REPUBLISHING TERMS

You may republish this article online or in print under our Creative Commons license. You may not edit or shorten the text, you must attribute the article to Aeon and you must include the author’s name in your republication.

If you have any questions, please email nsharafa@gmail.com

License

Creative Commons License AttributionCreative Commons Attribution
On growing up with albinism in Africa: “I didn’t want to be seen as nonhuman”