Malawi on Thursday commemorated the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination with calls for concerted efforts in ending violence against people with albinism.

Speaking during the commemoration in Blantyre, Presidential adviser on civil society and Non-Governmental Organizations Mabvuto Bamusi said time has come for the citizenry to work together towards eliminating all forms of racial discrimination.

“As the whole world is commemorating the day for ending racial discrimination, here in Malawi our focus should be that we must begin to promote and protect the rights of persons with albinism,” he said.

“President Peter Mutharika is calling upon all Malawians that time has come that we must end all forms of discrimination whether racial, gender based discrimination or age based discrimination.”

On her part, the chairperson of the Institute for Policy Interaction (IPI) Dr Nandini Patel, who organized this year’s commemoration also expressed worry on the continued cases of killings of persons with albinism in the country.

“It is definitely form of discrimination against a group of people who just look different and it’s extremely sad and it is quiet shameful for us as a nation and we all have to do something to protect these people,” Patel said.

She said it is important to celebrate the day because there are many attacks and killings of people in the world and it needs a global resolve.

“There are attacks and killings of people in the world which we thought it was safe place once upon a time, and it request a global resolve to end this malpractices,”she said.

The world commemorates international day for the elimination of racial discrimination on March 21 every year.