Interview with Rashid Dumbuya, Human Rights Lawyer, and the Executive Director of Legal Link
Question: What are the legal protections for persons living with albinism?
Rashid Dumbuya: In Sierra Leone there are no laws that specifically protect persons living with albinism. They are covered under the Disability Act of 2011, and they are categorized as persons with disability. Unfortunately, it is hard to see their names being mentioned in the Act. It is necessary to call them by their names in the laws that we have, so that people will know that this specific right accrues to this specific category of persons with disabilities. Because disability is varied, and they have their unique challenges. For instance, for persons with albinism, we know that the sunlight is one challenge. When the sun is scorching, their skin is affected, and even their eyesight. Also, the issue of them being hunted in many parts of Africa, especially in Eastern Africa, for their flesh. They are sometimes killed. People believe if you have their flesh you can access ancestral spirit that will empower you for leadership positions. All of these myths have been a challenge to their livelihood, and to their life and safety as human beings.
Q: Is there any international framework that Sierra Leone is signatory to on persons with albinism?
RD: Yes, Sierra Leone is part of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a document that protects persons with disabilities across the world, and persons with albinism are part of it. Sierra Leone [ratified] that Convention. But in our own legislation, there is no specific focus on persons with albinism.
We need to be clearer going forward, not necessarily to separate them, but to recognize their challenges because they are hunted for their flesh. Their right to life is threatened. In this part of Africa, in Sierra Leone in particular, we don’t experience that kind of attack on them on a large scale. I am not saying it doesn’t exist, but there is no empirical evidence to show that they have been hunted in Sierra Leone for their flesh for politicians to access power. But in the East Africa, it is empirically evidenced that they are hunted.
That in itself should have warranted the drafters of the Disability Act to [place] additional protections regarding their right to life. This was an omission that we need to [rectify] so that their rights to life will be especially guaranteed and protected.
Q: What should the government do to help protect persons living with albinism?
RD: The most urgent support that they need is the sun cream. It could be ordered and distributed to all of them. This [should be] a pharmaceutical project that the government should embark on, so that persons living with albinism will know that when their cream is finished they can go to the pharmacy and get it for free.
We also need affirmative actions, such as support with scholarships. The medical support is key, but so is educational support. I am glad to announce that we have the first person with albinism [Hamid M. Kamara] at the Law Department, Fourah Bay College. Hamid enrolled this year. I personally stood my ground to make sure that some affirmative action is shown to him. And in my “Introduction to Law” class I will be making a case on how reasonable support will be shown to him in that class and to support him to achieve his dream. It also shows how much we are coming [together] as a nation to understand what reasonable accommodation is about. I hope more scholarships will be given [to persons living with albinism] because section 14 of the Disability Act made provisions for free tertiary education for persons with disabilities.
Q: On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you grade Sierra Leone’s effort to support people living with disabilities?
RD: We are far from a passing grade. It is just now that the country understands the contextual issues. We made some effort in the areas of legislation, institutional reform -we have the National Commission for Persons with Disability, Sierra Leone Union on Disability Issues-, and we ratified the UN Convention on Persons with Disabilities.
But challenges remain. As a human rights lawyer, I would give it a 4 out of 10, because we lag in the area of implementation. We are far behind in the area of access to healthcare, education, employment, and accessibility to public buildings.
We should also make a policy in the area of employment. In the Act, it is stated that every Ministries, Departments, and Agencies organization must have a disability desk; but go around and check how many MDAs have disability desks that employs persons with disabilities. You will be amazed that many don’t even understand the issues.
Legal Link works todefend the rights of vulnerable groups in Sierra Leone, including persons living with albinism, Ebola survivors, aged and vulnerable women, and abused women and children.
Legal Link partnered with the Sierra Leone Association for Persons with Albinism, and participated in outreach programmes jointly, to understand the challenges the albinism community experiences.
By Stephen V. Lansana
19/03/2021. ISSUE NO: 8024