Ms. Muluka Anne Miti-Drummond has delivered her first statement as UN Independent Expert on Albinism, signalling her priorities for the mandate ahead.
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has published the first official statement from Ms. Muluka Anne Miti-Drummond, the newly appointed UN Independent Expert on Albinism.
The statement marks the formal beginning of her mandate — a role created by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor, document, and report on the human rights situation of people with albinism worldwide.
Miti-Drummond's appointment continues the work of the mandate first established in 2015, according to OHCHR. The position carries the authority to communicate directly with governments, conduct country visits, and present findings before the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.
What the mandate covers
The Independent Expert's remit, as defined by OHCHR, spans a wide range of concerns: the killings and attacks on people with albinism in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, discrimination in access to education and employment, barriers to healthcare including sun protection and vision care, and the harmful myths that continue to place people with albinism at risk.
The mandate also extends to the situation of people with albinism in the Americas, Europe, and Asia — regions where discrimination takes different but documented forms, according to previous mandate reports.
Why this appointment carries weight
The Independent Expert role is one of the UN's primary mechanisms for holding states accountable on a specific human rights issue. Mandate holders can raise individual cases directly with governments and request explanations — a tool that human rights organisations have described as meaningful, if imperfect, pressure.
Miti-Drummond is expected to outline her thematic priorities and initial country engagement plans in the months ahead, according to OHCHR.
For a community that has waited years to see sustained international attention — on attacks, on healthcare access, on legal protection — the character and focus of this opening statement will be watched closely.
The full text of her statement is available through the OHCHR website.
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