People with albinism are killed in parts of Africa because their body parts are believed to bring wealth and good fortune when used in witchcraft rituals. This belief has fueled a trade where a single limb can sell for $2,000 and a complete set of body parts or a corpse for up to $75,000. The violence is concentrated in East and Southern Africa, where over 225 reported attacks and murders have occurred in recent decades.
What Albinism Actually Is
Albinism is a genetic condition in which the body produces little or no melanin, the pigment that gives skin, hair, and eyes their color. It is inherited, not contagious, and not caused by a curse or spiritual event. The most common form results from a mutation in the gene responsible for an enzyme that kick-starts melanin production. Without that enzyme functioning properly, the body simply cannot make the pigment.
Melanin does more than determine skin color. It absorbs ultraviolet radiation and protects skin cells from DNA damage. It also plays a role in eye development before birth, which is why people with albinism almost always have significant vision problems. In sub-Saharan Africa, where UV exposure is intense year-round, the lack of melanin carries serious health consequences. People with albinism face up to a 1,000-fold increased risk of skin cancer compared to the general population, and in one Tanzanian hospital study, 90% of skin cancer patients with albinism were under 40.
The Beliefs Behind the Violence
The killings are driven by a specific set of myths rooted in traditional witchcraft practices. The core belief is that body parts from a person with albinism, when used in potions or amulets, can bring prosperity, success in business, or luck in elections and mining. Traditional healers in some communities actively promote this idea, telling clients that such ingredients will make them rich. In one South African court case, a traditional healer told a young woman’s boyfriend that “muti mixed with the body parts of a person with albinism would make them rich.”
The violence is made worse by beliefs about how the body parts should be harvested. Some perpetrators believe a potion will be more powerful if the victim screams during the attack, leading to people being dismembered while still alive. Fingers, arms, legs, eyes, genitals, skin, bones, hair, and heads are all targeted. Children make up a large proportion of victims because of yet another belief: that the more innocent a victim is, the more potent the body parts will be.
Women with albinism face an additional threat. A widespread myth holds that having unprotected sex with a person with albinism can cure HIV/AIDS, leading to targeted sexual assaults.
Myths That Dehumanize
Beyond the body-part trade, deeply held misconceptions strip people with albinism of their basic humanity. In many communities across East Africa, people with albinism are called ghosts. Mothers who give birth to a child with albinism are told they were impregnated by a spirit, or that the child is divine punishment for some past wrongdoing. One Ugandan mother recounted being told that “a ghost impregnated me” the moment her baby was born. Others reported being told they needed ritual cleansing ceremonies to rid their family of a curse.
These ghost and curse narratives create a deep sense of “otherness.” In interviews with families in Uganda, parents described children with albinism being chased away by other parents who feared the condition was contagious. Children at school refused to share cups or plates with classmates who had albinism. One person recalled: “Each time I went to them, they ran away. They would run to their mothers.” This social exclusion begins in early childhood and continues through adulthood, affecting education, employment, and relationships. Some families hide children with albinism out of shame, which ironically increases their vulnerability by keeping them invisible to protective services.
Where the Violence Is Concentrated
Tanzania, Malawi, Burundi, and Mozambique have recorded the highest number of attacks. Tanzania alone has been the site of the most documented cases, partly because albinism is relatively common there. Across sub-Saharan Africa, roughly 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 15,000 people have the condition, compared to about 1 in 17,000 to 1 in 20,000 in Europe and North America. The combination of higher prevalence and deeply rooted witchcraft traditions makes East Africa a particularly dangerous region.
The violence is not limited to rural areas. Attacks have been documented in cities and peri-urban communities as well, often committed by people known to the victim. Family members have been implicated in some cases, selling information about a relative’s whereabouts to middlemen who broker the body-part trade. Over 100 murders were documented in Tanzania and Burundi alone in a single decade, though the actual number is believed to be higher because many attacks in remote areas go unreported.
Legal Responses and Their Limits
Several African governments have taken concrete steps in recent years. Tanzania revised its penal code to classify attacks against people with albinism as hate crimes and launched a national crackdown that led to over 225 unlicensed witchdoctors being arrested. In 2016, Tanzania banned witchdoctors entirely. Malawi amended its Anatomy Act to impose stiffer penalties for crimes involving abduction, murder, or trafficking of people with albinism, and criminalized unauthorized possession of human tissues. South Africa passed the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act.
At the continental level, the African Union adopted a Plan of Action to End Attacks and Other Human Rights Violations Targeting People with Albinism (2021-2031) and appointed a Special Envoy for Persons with Albinism. The governments of Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, and Tanzania have each adopted national action plans, and Nigeria created a national policy on albinism in 2019.
Prosecution remains uneven, though. While some cases have produced meaningful sentences, like the two South African men each sentenced to 20 years for the murder of a 20-year-old woman with albinism, enforcement is inconsistent. In many countries, specific legislation protecting people with albinism either doesn’t exist or hasn’t been implemented. The underlying demand for body parts persists as long as clients continue to seek out traditional healers who promote these practices.
What Life Looks Like Day to Day
For people with albinism across East and Southern Africa, the threat of violence is layered on top of everyday challenges that are difficult enough on their own. Near-constant sun exposure without adequate protection leads to painful burns, premature skin aging, and early-onset skin cancers. Sunscreen, the single most effective preventive measure, is expensive and often unavailable. The African Union’s regional plan now calls on countries to add sunscreen to their national essential drug lists, but uptake has been slow.
Vision impairment affects nearly everyone with albinism because melanin plays a critical role in eye development before birth. Problems range from extreme light sensitivity to significant reductions in visual sharpness, and these issues cannot be fully corrected. In school settings where accommodations like large-print materials or front-row seating aren’t provided, children with albinism often fall behind academically, not because of any intellectual limitation but because they simply cannot see the board.
Organizations like Standing Voice and Under The Same Sun work in Tanzania and neighboring countries to provide direct support, including sunscreen distribution, vision care, legal advocacy, and temporary shelters for those facing imminent threats. Tanzania’s government has also developed a National Albinism Health Programme and a National Strategy for Inclusive Education. These programs represent real progress, but the combination of entrenched beliefs, poverty, and a lucrative black market means the danger is far from over.