Al-Shymaa Kway-Geer (born 1960) is a member of the parliamentary body, the National Assembly, of Tanzania. She is one of 48 women appointed to the Assembly by President Jakaya Kikwete. She was appointed in 2008. Kway-Geer was born in

Tanga, Tanzania Tanga is both the name of the most northerly port city of Tanzania on the west of the Indian Ocean, and the capital of Tanga Region. It had a population of 273,332 in 2012. The name ''Tanga'' means "sail" in Swahili. The city of Tanga sits on t ...

. A former airline clerk,
BBC News Kway-Geer, who has albinism, is charged with improving the treatment of such people in Tanzania, where many believe the condition to be a curse or source of

magic Magic or Magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces * Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic * Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...

al power.

Persecution of people with albinism Persecution of people with albinism (sometimes abbreviated PWA) is based on the belief that certain body parts of albinistic people can transmit magical powers. Such superstition is present especially in some parts of the African Great Lake ...

is common in the region, including murder, mutilation and the harvesting of body parts.

References

Jeffrey Gettelman. "Albinos in Tanzania face deadly threat" in ''New York Times'', June 8, 2008''Washington Times'' article on Kwegyir
People with albinism Albinism in Tanzania Living people 1960 births Members of the National Assembly (Tanzania) 21st-century Tanzanian women politicians {{Tanzania-politician-stub

See also

References