Renowned human rights champion, Habiba Osman has been elected as chairperson for the Board of Trustees Association of People with Albinism in Malawi.
The elective meeting was held at Mponela on Saturday, March 26, 2022.
Habiba Osman comes with high level of integrity. Habiba is a well-versed professional in human rights and gender.
Currently, Habiba is leading the Malawi Human Rights Commission in the capacity of CEO/ Executive Secretary, a Constitutional Body, that is mandated to promote and investigate human rights violations in Malawi.
She has worked in various capacities in human rights gender and law programs with several organizations; Civil Liberties Committee, Norwegian Church Aid, and UN Women, an entity that works to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.
In her former roles, she contributed to the enactment and advocacy of several gender-related laws and policies, including contributing to the drafting of the national Gender policy, Albinism National Action plan, the African Strategic Plan for UN Women.
She has been appointed to sit in the Presidential National Taskforce on Rape and Defilement, Trustee for the National Initiative for Civic Education in Malawi, and also anchors/ supports the work of Commission which sits on the Presidential Taskforce on Corona Virus/ Covid-19.
Habiba will be deputised by Andrew Mpesi who is a governance expert. He currently working with USAID . He comes to the organization with vast experience in good governance, policy development, research among others Mr Mpesi is a political scientist by profession.
Speaking to Malawi Voice, Osman said she looking forward to make the Association achieve its goals.
“We can all agree that the time for complacency is long gone, has passed and belongs to another era. The silence on persons with albinism has to be broken and now is the time for stronger action,” said Ms Osman
She added that she will lobby with law enforcement agents and the courts for expedite cases concerning violations against persons with albinism.
“In Malawi violations against persons with albinism is most pervasive, prevalent and rife violations of human rights least prosecuted crimes, and one of the greatest threats to socioeconomic transformation,” she said.
Last week a well known legal company Ritz crowned Osman as ‘substance woman 2022″ for her exceptional role in gender issues.
