“We hope that this series of measures will result in a significant improvement in the security and well-being of people with albinism in Malawi,” the southern African country where at least six incidents have been reported this year, said Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Colville welcomed President Mutharika’s statement last week in which he called on security agencies in Malawi to be placed on high alert, to arrest people responsible for such attacks and provide maximum protection to people with albinism.

And this week Malawi’s Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati, unveiled a five-point plan of action, which included the development of an education and awareness programme, strengthening of community policing structure, research to understand the root causes of the problem and what is done with the body parts of people with albinism.

We “urge the authorities to ensure that the Government’s action plan is fully implemented without delay,” Colville told reporters at the bi-weekly press briefing today in Geneva, Switzerland.

Noting the Minister’s reference to the Government considering appealing against some lenient sentences, the spokesperson said, “We would welcome this as well, and note that earlier this week a man received a sentence of just two years after being convicted of attempting to kidnap his 11-year-old niece Mina Jeffrey.”