Leaders of Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Timothy Mtambo and Gift Trapence have praised government for allocating MK1 billion towards protection of persons with albinism (PWA).
Mtambo and Trapence wrote the message of appreciation in their weekly Minority Rights Forum in the September 14, 2019 edition of Weekend Nation.
“To hear that the government has finally decided to increase the funding towards this plan is refreshing to the ears and minds,” write the two.
When presenting budget statement in Parliament on Monday, the finance minister Joseph Mwananvekha said government allocated K400 million and K600 Million for the implementation of the National plan for the protection of PWA and construction decent houses for the special group respectively.
“When you combine the two budgets lines, you have a whooping MK1billion paycheck all going towards persons with albinism. This is a step towards right direction. As human rights defenders, this is what we have been advocating for all along,” said the two.
However, the two rights activists said the country should remain vigilant, as “a lot remains to be done to secure the rights of our brothers and sisters with albinism.
“It is not a secret that attacks on persons with albinism are fueled by the false and dangerous beliefs that body parts of persons with albinism can make someone rich. Therefore, there is need to confront these myths and erroneous belie through national wide campaign to raise awareness, particularly in rural communities.”
