Human Rights Council

F ift y- f ifth session

26 February–5 April 2024

Agenda item 3

Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 4 April 2024

5 5 / 18. Mandate of Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Guided also by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recalling relevant international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child,

Reaffirmingthat everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person and that no one shall be subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,

Recallingthe universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights and the need for persons with albinism to be guaranteed the full enjoyment of their rights and freedoms without discrimination,

Recalling also its resolutions 5/1, on institution-building of the Human Rights Council, and 5/2, on a Code of Conduct for Special Procedure Mandate Holders of the Council, of 18 June 2007, and stressing that all mandate holders shall discharge their duties in accordance with those resolutions and the annexes thereto,

Recalling furtherthe Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and recalling also the rights of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and education as enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other relevant international human rights treaties,

Deeply concerned that, in various parts of the world, persons with albinism continue to face barriers to their participation as equal members of society and face violations and abuse of their human rights, and conscious that greater and more urgent attention is needed to address these challenges,

Expressing grave concern at the fact that attacks and widespread violence continue to be perpetuated against persons with albinism, in particular women and those in vulnerable situations, including children, persons at the intersection of disability and older persons,

Welcoming all initiatives and actions taken by all States to address and combat all forms of violence and discrimination against persons with albinism,

Welcoming also in this regard the ongoing work of the Independent Expert to address harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks as one of the root causes of human rights violations and abuses perpetuated against persons with albinism, and to engage with stakeholders and carry out analytical studies in order to enable States to take effective action,

Inviting States to effectively implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its principle of leaving no one behind, and calling upon States to reach the furthest behind first, including persons with albinism,

Calling upon States to ensure accountability through the conduct of impartial, speedy and effective investigations into attacks against persons with albinism, to bring to justice those responsible and to ensure that survivors and family members have access to appropriate remedies,

Welcoming the consultations conducted by the Independent Expert with relevant stakeholders in various regions, including Africa, culminating in Africa in the development of a regional action plan to end human rights violations and abuses against persons with albinism and the subsequent Africa Union Plan of Action to End Attacks and other Human Rights Violations Targeting Persons with Albinism in Africa (2021–2031) as a continent-wide policy in Africa,

Noting with appreciation the work and achievements of the Independent Expert in preparing analytical studies and holding discussions on harmful practices relating to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks as a particular risk to persons with albinism in some countries and as one of the root causes of attacks perpetrated against them,

Taking note with appreciation of the most recent reports of the Independent Expert aimed at ensuring that persons with albinism are not left behind in discussions pertinent to their enjoyment of rights, presented to the Human Rights Council, on human rights defenders with albinism and/or working on albinism, and to the General Assembly, on persons with albinism on the move,

Recalling all previous resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism,

1.Commends the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism for the important work undertaken to end attacks on and to spread awareness about persons with albinism;

2.Takes note with appreciation of the thematic report of the Independent Expert on the impact of climate change on persons with albinism, in which the mandate holder highlighted the expected increase in the incidence of skin cancer, which particularly affects persons with albinism given their susceptibility to skin cancer, and in this regard calls upon States to increase their efforts to ensure the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health for persons with albinism;

3.Encourages States, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, to take effective measures to address the health-related effects of climate change on persons with albinism with a view to realizing their right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, particularly regarding the alarming incidence of skin cancer in this population, and to implement the recommendations made in this regard by the Independent Expert in her report;

4.Takes note with appreciation of the thematic report of the Independent Expert,in which the mandate holder addresses, in particular, the right to education for persons with albinism and the importance of removing barriers to the enjoyment of the right to education and of ensuring reasonable accommodations for persons with albinism;

5.Decides to extend the mandate of Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism for a period of three years, on the same terms as provided by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 46/12 of 23 March 2021;

6.Requests the Independent Expert to integrate age-sensitive, disability-inclusive and gender perspectives throughout the work of the mandate and to pay specific attention to the challenges and needs of women and girls in order to address the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination that women and girls with albinism face;

7. Invites theIndependent Expert to pay attention to the challenges and needs of persons with albinism in all countries, and to address specific challenges and needs of persons with albinism living in low-income countries;

8.Calls upon all States to cooperate fully with the Independent Expert in the discharge of the mandate and to give serious consideration to responding favourably to her requests to visit their countries and to consider implementing her recommendations, to provide her with all necessary information relating to the mandate and to react promptly to her communications and urgent appeals in order to enable her to fulfil the mandate effectively;

9.Encourages the United Nations, including its specialized agencies, and regional organizations, national human rights institutions, independent experts, non-governmental organizations, including organizations of persons with albinism and their families, the private sector, in particular social enterprises, and other relevant stakeholders to cooperate to the fullest extent possible with the Independent Expert in the fulfilment of the mandate;

10.Requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the Independent Expert with all the human and financial resources necessary for the effective fulfilment of the mandate;

11.Decidesto continue consideration of this issue in accordance with its annual programme of work.

54th meeting

4 April 202 4

[Adopted without a vote.]