Report on the Public Hearings on Discrimination and Other Challenges Faced by Persons with Albinism in Namibia - Ombudsman Report

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Bintang

Report on the public hearings convened by the Office of the Ombudsman in partnership with the Directorate: Law Reform, Ministry of Justice (Disability Law Project) to understand discrimination and other challenges faced by persons with albinism in Namibia. The document defines albinism, explains the inquiry’s need, purpose, methodology, and reporting compilation, and provides a legal overview. It documents community themes including discrimination, myths, slurs, access to land and services, employment, education, health, and the experiences of women and children, ending with recommendations and outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages55

Reading Time2 h 19 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Albinism and disability

The Inquiry

The need for a national inquiry

The purpose of the inquiry

Methodology

Compilation of report

Legal Overview

The domestic legal framework

The international human rights framework

Public/Community Hearings

Discrimination

Myths and Stereotypes

Derogatory Expressions and Slurs

Access to land, housing and services

Employment

Education

Health

Women and Children with Albinism

General Recommendations

Conclusion

Annexure A

Annexure B

REPORT ON THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON discrimination and other challenges faced by PERSONS WITH ALBINISM IN NAMIBIA OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN REPORT ON THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON discrimination and other challenges faced by PERSONS WITH ALBINISM IN NAMIBIA OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN 2022 THIS REPORT WAS COMPILED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Directorate: Law Reform, Ministry of Justice With thanks to the following stakeholders for their assistance with the public hearings on discrimination and other challenges faced by persons with albinism in Namibia. The Namibia Albino Association Our special thanks to all who participated in the public hearings, including parents, family members, friends, service providers, children and persons with albinism. CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .........................................................2 1.1 Albinism and disability................................................................................................ 3 2. THE INQUIRY .............................................................4 2.1 The need for a national inquiry ................................................................................. 4 2.2 The purpose of the inquiry......................................................................................... 5 2.3 Methodology ................................................................................................................ 5 2.4 Compilation of report ................................................................................................. 7 3. LEGAL OVERVIEW ......................................................8 3.1 The domestic legal framework ................................................................................. 8 3.2 The international human rights framework.......................................................... 10 4. PUBLIC/COMMUNITY HEARINGS............................. 17 4.1 Discrimination ............................................................................................................ 17 4.2 Myths and Stereotypes ............................................................................................ 19 4.3 Derogatory Expressions and Slurs ......................................................................... 21 4.4 Access to land, housing and services ................................................................... 24 4.5 Employment ............................................................................................................... 30 4.6 Education .................................................................................................................... 34 4.7 Health........................................................................................................................... 38 4.8 Women and Children with Albinism....................................................................... 44 5. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS ..............................48 6. CONCLUSION...........................................................50 ANNEXURE A......................................................................................................................... 51 ANNEXURE B......................................................................................................................... 52 1 INTRODUCTION ALBINISM IS A GENETIC CONDITION that affects the production of melanin in the body. It is a lifelong condition which is present a birth. Persons with albinism have reduced melanin, or none at all, which causes them to have little or no pigmentation in their eyes, hair and skin. Globally, persons with albinism face numerous challenges... Globally, persons with albinism face numerous challenges, including health issues, discrimination, abduction, trafficking, and even murder for ritual purposes. The challenges faced by persons with albinism in Namibia vary in severity and type, depending on the area. To better understan

FAQs

What is the purpose of the public hearings in this report?

The hearings were conducted to better understand the situation of persons with albinism in Namibia and the discrimination they face, and to examine the outcomes and possible solutions.

What approach and methodology does the inquiry follow?

The report outlines the need for a national inquiry, the purpose of the inquiry, the methodology used, and how the report was compiled.

Which community issues are addressed in the public/community hearings?

The hearings cover discrimination, myths and stereotypes, derogatory expressions and slurs, access to land and services, employment, education, health, and the specific experiences of women and children with albinism.

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Bintang