Luanda - The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, condemned this Sunday the discrimination against albinos.
In a message posted on his account on the social network Twitter, João Lourenço expressed his solidarity with all Angolans who suffer just for being born albinos.
"On this day of struggle against discrimination against albinos, which we strongly condemn, we extend our embrace of solidarity ...", wrote the Head of State.
According to the Angolan President , albinos deserve the affection of society and social inclusion and promotion policies of the Government.
World Albinism Awareness Day is celebrated on 13 June.
Celebrated for the first time in 2015, the day was proclaimed by the UN, to disseminate information about albinism and to prevent discrimination to albinos, while combating their harassment. Celebrating the achievements of people with albinism is another aim of this date.
Albinism is a pigmentary abnormality that leads to a very light skin, hair and eye colour. Due to genetic factors (recessive genes from parents), in albinism there is a total absence of pigmentation in the skin, hair system and iris.
Data from the UN indicates that about one in 18,000 people in the world have a type of albinism.
The data puts forward that hundreds of people with albinism, mostly children, have been attacked, mutilated or killed in at least 25 African countries.
In Tanzania, where there is one albino for every 1,400 Tanzanians, several albinos are abducted, injured or killed by witchdoctors and healers, given the belief that their organs possess magical powers, being sold for about 550 euros and used in rituals.
