International Albinism Awareness Day 2022

Albinism is a kind of hereditary disorder. In this condition the affected individual has almost no skin color or pale skin color due to the lack of the skin pigment known as melanin. The amount of melanin present in skin determines our skin color and people with albinism thus have no skin, hair or eye color. The pigment also helps in development of the optic nerve. Hence albinos have poor vision as well. Melanin is an important component of the skin that protects the skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun and hence people with albinism are sensitive to sunlight and are at high risk of developing skin cancer.

Albinism Awareness Day 2022

People with albinism often face discrimination and are treated unfairly worldwide mainly due to old cultural stigmas and superstitions. Many people also believe that albinism is contagious and hence are often outcaste. Over the last few decades, many albinos were brutally killed and murdered as many people thought them as evil spirits. In many African countries, the local superstition people believe in is that the body parts of albinos can bring good luck.  Still in many other countries, people affected with albinism experience severe bullying and discrimination. Hence to spread general awareness about albinism and protect the lives of people affected with albinism, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in 2014 proclaiming June 13 will be celebrated as International Albinism awareness day, every year.

How Albinism is Caused?

Albinism is a genetic disease caused to the mutation of gene which is responsible for giving signals to the cells that produce melanin. Depending on the nature of gene mutation, albinism can vary from no melanin formation to significantly reduced melanin formation. Depending on the inheritance of the mutated gene, albinism can be of different types – 1) Oculocutaneous albinism – this is the most common form of albinism where the affected individual receives two copies of mutated genes, one from each parent. 2) Another form on albinism is ocular albinism. As the name suggests, this type of albinism affects the eyes and creates problem with vision.
 

Albinism Human Rights 

Following the declaration of International Albinism day by UN General Assembly, all UN member states continue to put in efforts to protect and preserve the human rights of all individuals affected with albinism including their life security, dignity as well as their right not to subject to torture and equal access to education, employment, justice and highest attainable standard of health.
 

International Albinism Awareness Day 2022

The international albinism awareness day 2022 is on June 13.  Like every year, different organisations across the world are gearing up to celebrate this day spreading awareness about this non contagious disease. Starting from walks, meet ups, conferences, benefit fashion show and picnic lunch, the communities across the world are coming together with their way of spreading the massage and awareness.