In Africa, Albino Body Parts Are Sold for Witchcraft and Profit

African albinos are killed, dismembered, and even exhumed because charms made from their body parts are believed to bring good luck, fortune, and money.

Myths and Violence Against Persons With Albinism

Women with albinism in Tanzania, Burundi, Ghana, Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria, and Mozambique are often targets of sexual violence due to the false belief that intercourse with them can cure HIV/AIDS or bring wealth. This exposes them to assault, sexually transmitted infections, and unwanted pregnancies.

Infanticide also occurs: infants born with albinism are sometimes killed as they are viewed as a curse. Witchcraft-related demand for body parts fuels trafficking, mutilations, and grave robberies. Since 2006, UN reports document over 600 ritual attacks across 28 African countries.

Did you know? Tanzania has one of the largest populations of people with albinism worldwide — about 170,000.

The Witchcraft Trade

Witchcraft practices known as muti or juju fuel the belief that albino body parts bring wealth, protection, or political power. People with albinism are hunted for their limbs, heads, and organs, which can sell for thousands on the black market.

In Tanzania alone, more than 70 people with albinism have been killed since 2000. Attacks spike during elections when demand for charms allegedly linked to power and prosperity grows.

Tanzanian mother and her albino child

Gendered Impact: Women and Mothers

Women with albinism suffer overlapping discrimination. Myths about HIV cures make them vulnerable to sexual violence. Mothers of children with albinism often face rejection, ostracism, and poverty; they may be abandoned by partners accused of infidelity or blamed for bearing a "cursed" child.

Did you know? Many mothers flee their communities to protect children with albinism from violence and social stigma.

What Is Albinism?

Albinism is a genetic condition caused by mutations in at least 12 known genes. It results in little or no melanin, leaving skin, hair, and eyes light and sensitive to sunlight. Two main types exist: Oculocutaneous Albinism (OCA) affects skin, hair, and eyes, while Ocular Albinism (OA) primarily affects the eyes.

Lack of melanin increases the risk of skin cancer and severe sunburn, especially in regions with strong sunlight. Average life expectancy is significantly reduced when protective care is unavailable.

Ukerewe Island, Tanzania — home to a large albinism community

Changing the Narrative

Documentaries such as In the Shadow of the Sun spotlight the courage of people with albinism fighting for their rights and safety. Activists like Josephat Torner in Tanzania continue to challenge myths and demand legal protection.

Did you know? The UN officially recognizes persons with albinism as a vulnerable group needing special human rights protection.

Explore more African history and culture:

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• Nkasa Tree Test for Witches
• African Male Circumcision for HIV Prevention
• Life in the Slums of Africa
• The Walking Dead | Learn All About Voodoo
• How Drones Are Changing Humanitarian Disaster Response

Mental Health Connection: Explore how culture and compulsion merge in Night Running in Africa: Tribal Art, Witchcraft, or Sadism — a story linking traditional beliefs with mental wellness in Kenya.