Albino student fears she will be targeted by witch doctors

BY JAMES MONCUR within the government trying to counter these beliefs but it is a slow process and the action is not happening quickly enough for those of us at risk.

“A lot of discrimination exists against people with albinism in education and employment, meaning they tend to fall into the lowest socioeconomic bracket and are the most vulnerable as a result of their poverty.”

Amnesty International described the situation in Malawi as a human rights crisis, with thousands of people – particularly children – at risk.

Tumeliwa and two other activists spent a semester in Dundee as part of the Scottish Human Rights Defender Fellowship initiative.

Participants spent three months combining study with the chance to build relationships and share expertise with Scottish human rights and equality organisations.

It is a partnership between the Scottish Government and the university, supported by Front Line Defenders, Amnesty, SCIAF and Beyond Borders Scotland.

One of those taking part, a lawyer who wanted to remain anonymous, was targeted by authorities for his human rights work.

He recounted how activists often don’t sleep through the night as there is a real possibility of would-be jailors, torturers and murderers breaking down their door.

He added: “I have slept more in the past three months than I have in a very long time.

“We have all had a break from persecution, in Scotland.”