We have to fight for the rights of albinos - Kwesi Pratt Jnr charges the UN

• Albinos form part of the marginalized in the society

• Kwesi Pratt Jnr is worried that this happens in our democratic dispensation

• The journalist wants the rights of albinos to be fought for

The Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, is of the view that until the rights of marginalized groups such as persons living with albinism are protected, Ghana, and Africa for that matter, should not beat its chest as being democratic enough.

He explained that it has become a notoriously believable thing that the body parts of albinos can be used for rituals and for that reason, such persons live in constant fear, particularly during election periods.

“We have received all kinds of accolades about our own democratic experiment in Ghana but I think that it is clear that not all our people are able to speak up in defense of their rights. Not all of our people enjoy the fundamental rights that have been endorsed by the United Nations itself.

“We live in a country in which the rights of albinos have been trampled upon for many years. If you look at the continent generally, every time there are elections, albinos are in trouble. All kinds of ambitious people have come to believe that parts of albinos can be used for rituals to make them powerful and rich and that puts albinos in great danger in times of elections,” he said.

Kwesi Pratt was speaking during the UN International Day of Democracy event at the Parliament House in Accra when he made this comment.

He stated that it is time for the rights of albinos to be fought for, ensuring that Ghana’s democracy does not continue to send the wrong signals that these groups of marginalized people are not welcomed.

“I think that it’s our duty to fight for the respect for the rights of people with albinism. We cannot have a democracy in which albinos are blatantly discriminated against,” he said.

The purpose of the day is to review the state of democracy in the world, and to urge member nations of the UN Charter to celebrate and uphold the values of democracy to give citizens the power to make divisions regarding all aspects of their lives.

It was on the theme, “The Role of State Actors and Civil Societies in Consolidating Democracy, Human Rights and Peace.”