The Commission Newsletter, August 31, 2017 Page 4 ZHRC engages World Bank on albinism Members of the Special Interests Thematic Working Group soon after the meeting with World Bank’s Camille Lambart Nuamah (third from right). I n a move that is likely to be appreciated by people living with albinism, the Zimbabwe Human R i g h t s Commission (ZHRC), through the Thematic Working Group (TWG) on Special Interest Groups recently engaged the World Bank in order to find ways of assisting them. As part of the engagement process, a meeting was held between the ZHRC and the World Bank on support for assistive technology for persons with albinism in Zimbabwe. The meeting came up with a number of measures to improve the living conditions of people with albinism. One of these measures was the immediate appointment of a Focal Person to look into issues of albinism at the World Bank Zimbabwe office. This will assist in speeding up the formulation of interventions pertaining to albinism. Representatives from World Bank went on to visit the Zimbabwe Albino Association to enquire more on the plight of people with albinism resulting in the global financial institution getting a deeper appreciation of challenges being faced by the albino community. The World Bank also showed its willingness to attach some students with albinism to their structures as a way of reaching out to and raising awareness on the condition. In Zimbabwe, people with albinism face many challenges in their lives including discrimination on the basis of the pigmentation of their skin. This is a clear violation of their rights. The other challenges are lack of sun screen lotions that protect their skin from adverse weather conditions and the inability to afford spectacles. Paragraph 7 of the First Schedule of the ZHRC Act [Chapter 10:30] provides that the ZHRC establishes TWGs in order to EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Chairperson: Karukai Ratsauka Compiler/Design & Layout: Shadrick William Members: Misheck Bulo, Linet Sithole, Sarudzai Paungano have specialized attention to promote and protect various rights. The Commission has established eight TWGs, among them, the Special Interest Groups TWG focusing on People with Disabilities, in di ge no us minorities, older persons and youths because of the vulnerability of these groups. Persons with albinism are one of the target groups for the Special Interest Groups.