Abstract
This chapter discusses the phenomenon of violence against Persons with Albinism (PWAs) in Malawi. The aim of the chapter is to highlight the horrendous acts of debilitating violence perpetrated against PWAs in Malawi. It uses a qualitative research method: content analysis. The chapter has established two major findings regarding the phenomenon of violence against PWAs in Malawi: (1) Albinism is an inherited condition from birth as a result of the lack of melanin pigment which usually changes the colour of the skin, hair, and eyes. (2) The prevailing myths and stereotypes associated with albinism in Africa have produced a double jeopardy for (PWAs). First, PWAs are victims of widespread discrimination. Second, criminals are targeting PWAs for their body parts which are believed to have some magical powers to bring fortunes. Also, women with the condition of albinism are raped because of the belief that having sex with them cleanses one from HIV/AIDS. In Malawi, there has been a sharp increase in superstition-driven violence against PWAs in the form of abductions, body mutilations, killings, and grave robberies with the intention of exhuming the bones for ritual purposes. Therefore, the chapter argues for an urgent curbing of violence against PWAs. The chapter has three main implications: (1) the influence of myths in the albinism discourse in Africa; (2) verbal abuse against PWAs leads to violence and stigmatization; and (3) the current tide of violence against PWAs is a violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi and various international human rights treaties.
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Notes
- 1.
Patricia Lund, a scholar who has researched on the topic of albinism in Malawi and other parts of the world, has expressed doubts concerning the validity and reliability of the MHPC findings regarding the number of persons with albinism in the country. Instead, she argues that the number of people with albinism in Malawi should be approximately 10,000. Communication between Dr. Patricia Lund and Dr. Jones Mawerenga during the writing of a collaborative article on “We are humans, Just Like You: Albinism in Malawi – Implications for security,” 2021.
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Mawerenga, J.H. (2024). Violence Against Persons with Albinism in Malawi. In: Mlambo, O.B., Chitando, E. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Violence in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-40754-3_33
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