Women and Chemicals

Existing initiatives
7
International Organisations
The topic of women and chemicals is linked to many activities
of International Organisations and several UN bodies. A major
concern in the sound management of chemicals is the impact
on human health, as well as the impact on the environment.
Often vulnerable groups are specifically mentioned in texts of
chemical treaties or SAICM. However, almost no intergovernmental
organisation has a special programme in place dealing
with women and chemicals, except UNDP (see below). Compared
to other topics like women and climate change or
women and water, the issue of women and chemicals is underrepresented.
It is time to find synergies among the gender
relevant activities in international chemical policy and initiate
a joint approach to reduce the burden of exposure to toxic
chemicals for women.
United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP)
UNDP, so far, is the only UN agency to provide a publication including
recommendations that focus specifically on gender and
chemicals. 1 The guidance document describes important linkages
between development, gender, and chemicals management.
It also contains case studies and scenarios on the impact
of exposure to chemicals like cadmium or nickel. It describes
those chemicals that are of greatest concern with regard to female
health like endocrine disruptors, POPs, and heavy metals. A
comprehensive sixstep approach, including checklists, aims to
integrate gender sensitive safe chemical management in national
development strategies.
The checklist provides an excellent and easy to handle tool
for governments, which can be implemented with the support
of UNDP. Unfortunately it seems that the urgency of this topic is
not yet fully recognized by most countries. Further awareness
raising is needed.
Steps for Mainstreaming SMC in National Development Strategies
MONITORING & EVALUATION
GENDER MAINSTREAMING
step 1 step 2 step 3 step 4 step 5 step 6
DATA COLLECTION
DATA ANALYSIS &
DIAGNOSTICS
IDENTIFICATION
OPPORTUNITIES &
PRIORITIES
COSTING OF SMC
PRIORITIES
ENABLING POLICY &
REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK
MAINSTREAMING SMC
FOR THE MDGs
AWARENESS RAISING & PROMOTING MULTI-STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT
UNDP steps for mainstreaming safety management of chemicals in national development strategies, UNDP (20011), p. 8
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