UTSS is sponsoring the first ever Pan - African Albinism Conference PAAC) which will take place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, at the Julius Nyerere Conference Centre on November 19 – 22, 2015.
2015 PAAC theme: Making attacks, stigma and discrimination a faint memory.
Pan African Albinism Conference (PAAC) set to gather leading organizations of persons with albinism (PWA) and those that work with and for PWA from Africa and infamous international and local experts on albinism genetics, skin cancer, low vision and human rights and legal issues.
The aim of this major conference is to create a sanctuary of learning, networking and empowerment for PWA in Africa, equipping them with the best resources UTSS has managed to accumulate to date.
The conference will be blessed with more than 200 participants from 29 African countries and 9 non-African countries in North America, Europe, Scandinavia and Japan. PAAC sessions will be conducted in three languages: English, French and Kiswahili.
“PAAC is designed to equip defenders of the human rights of persons with albinism (PWA) with the necessary tools for preventing attacks, ensuring prosecution of perpetrators of attacks, monitoring the overall human rights situation of PWA including how to make credible reports, and properly advocate before their government for better responses to their plight,” says Peter Ash, Founder and CEO of Under The Same Sun.
“UTSS hopes this will kick start other similar initiatives across continent of Africa through which concrete results will lead to practical changes in the lives of persons with albinism,” concludes Ash.
The opening key note address will be delivered by Peter Ash, UTSS Founder / CEO.
All PAAC attendees with albinism will benefit from free skin cancer screening and will be provided with sunscreen lotion; low vision examination and will be given vision-enhancing spectacles, low vision devises and sunglasses through experienced clinicians of Standing voice, a partner of UTSS.
All persons with albinism will benefit from free skin cancer screening and will be provided with sunscreen lotion; low vision examination and will be given vision-enhancing spectacles, low vision devices and sunglasses.
There will be various visual displays of the plight of persons with albinism, such as photo-reportage by the World Bank Art Programme; hand-made craft pieces produced by UTSS’ Women’s Development Groups and a miniature of “Nithamini” (“Value Me”) Monument which depicts a protective and loving family of a child with albinism and also honours the lives of murdered and maimed PWA in Tanzania.
PAAC will also form as a platform for PWA to learn about how to protect their skin; get the best out of low vision devices; how to document attacks; how to collect evidence and use it in court cases to get justice; how to engage their governments in PWA-related issues and how to promote their human rights and wellbeing.
It should be noted that for more than a decade there have been hundreds of PWA attacks and killings reported in 25 different African countries. However, many victims and their families are still waiting for justice to be done. Most of the cases do not reach the courts of law. Further, stigma and discrimination is epidemic across the continent
Facilitators / trainers include one of the world’s leading geneticists with decades of experience in albinism and renowned legal experts from UN and African courts and law firms.
The four-day training programmes will incorporate interactive workshops to develop the skills of attendees on topics including:
- The science of albinism: genetics of albinism, skin and skin cancer prevention, low vision and visual maximization with visual aids;
- How to document incidences of attacks for reporting and for preparing for prosecution;
- Preparing facts to assist prosecution;
- How to produce reports on their situation for their governments, regional bodies and international bodies;
- How to best advocate for PWA before the public at large, key audiences and before their government;
- Education system: disability rights pertaining to albinism and reasonable accommodation;
- National Policy on Albinism: How to advocate for and obtain one.
Overall PAAC goals include:
- to protect the Lives of PWA by educating PWA leader-attendees on how to effectively advocate for PWA in their country, i.e. advocating for prosecution in cases of attacks and the enjoyment of their human rights; to improve the human rights, dignity and future prospects for PWA by training PWA leader-attendees on how to educate key public groups such as parents of children with albinism, educators of students with albinism and the medical profession on the truths about albinism and how to care for and provide reasonable accommodation for PWA.
Short term goals in detail:
a. Report cases of attacks in a credible and professional way
b. Hold government accountable for the treatment of persons with albinism by better equipping defenders of human rights of persons with albinism to document cases of attacks in a way that will inform prosecution as needed.
c. Understand and spread the truths about albinism including its genetic information and end myths and stereotypes that contribute to human rights violations.
d. Understand and replicate health models learned about in the conference to address skin and vision issues associated with albinism.
e. Learn effective ways to better advocate for the rights of persons with albinism.
f. Encourage participants to achieve the above by engaging them in a post-project contest as described above.
For media enquiries about PAAC please contact:
Vicky A Ntetema
Executive Director, UTSS-TZ
Taasisi Road, Mikocheni B, Kwa Warioba
P.O. Box 32837, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel: +25522278024 Ext: 102 Fax: +255222782356
Mob: +255756048487 / +255787600136/ ++255679448258
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About Under The Same Sun (UTSS) Canada & Tanzania:
Under The Same Sun (UTSS) is passionately committed to ending the often deadly discrimination against people with albinism. UTSS promotes, via advocacy and education, the wellbeing of persons with albinism who in many parts of the world are misunderstood, marginalized, and even attacked and killed because of their genetic condition. UTSS is founded on the belief that all persons are created in God’s image and as such are worthy of love, respect and, above all, dignity.
While UTSS acts globally, much of our focus has been on the crisis faced by people with albinism in Tanzania. From there, UTSS is reaching across Africa and the world, to stimulate a movement that roots out discrimination and plants the seeds of empowerment for people living with albinism.
OUR VISION:
“I have a dream that one day people with albinism will take their rightful place throughout every level of society, and that the days of discrimination against persons with albinism will be a faint memory - EVERYWHERE!” - Peter Ash, Founder & CEO
OUR MANDATE:
Under The Same Sun is passionately committed to social inclusion and seeing an end to the general and sometimes deadly discrimination against persons with albinism (PWA). We exist to promote, via advocacy and education, the wellbeing of PWA who in many parts of the world are marginalized, misunderstood, abused and at times mutilated and killed because of their genetic condition.
At UTSS we are driven by the belief that all persons have intrinsic value as each is created in God’s image. Accordingly, all persons are worthy of love, respect and, above all, dignity.
While UTSS is active at the UN and globally, much of our current focus is on the crisis faced by PWA in Tanzania. We have developed offices there with a highly innovative and effective approach to this issue. This is beginning to bring about the societal transformation needed to stop the stigma based attacks and killings. From there, UTSS is reaching across Africa and the world to stimulate a movement that roots out stigma and discrimination by planting the seeds of empowerment for people living with albinism.
UTSS Official Summary of Albinism:
Albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited difference occurring in both genders regardless of ethnicity, in all countries of the world. BOTH the father and mother must carry the gene for it to be passed on even if they do not have albinism themselves. The condition results in a lack of pigmentation in the hair, skin and eyes, causing vulnerability to sun exposure and bright light. Almost all people with albinism are visually impaired, with the majority being classified as “legally blind”. While numbers vary widely and no comprehensive studies have been conducted, it is reported that in North America and Europe, an estimate of 1 in every 17,000 to 20,000 people have albinism. In Africa it is estimated that 1 in every 5,000 to 15,000 people have albinism with selected populations having estimates as high as 1 in 1,000. In Tanzania where UTSS is based, the prevalence of albinism is estimated to be 1 in 1,400 people being affected.