Module 6 – Gender, Chemicals and Waste

1. Intro
Kulini, Kulini, (“Are you listening?”)

Like in their legend of the Seven Sisters, members of the Kungka Tjuta indigenous
community crossed Australia to make their cry heard: "Iratí Wanti!", or "Poison, out!"

From their isolated inland villages in the south of the country, where many Aboriginals
live in conditions of extreme poverty, the Kungkas travelled great distances to Canberra
to protest against the creation of a nuclear dump on their land. Despite being a desert,
this was still the place they belong to - and they knew that everyone would have been
poisoned, if they had failed to act.

"We are the guardians of this country. We, women, have rights over this country. We
protect it. We do not want money. We want life and land for our sons and daughters.
Kulini, Kulini, (“Are you listening?”)”

After a long and difficult battle, the Australian Government abandoned the project and, in
2005, the Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta, the council of Senior Aboriginal Women, was
nominated as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Chemicals can be beneficial for societies in many ways, supporting, for instance,
agriculture and water purification. However, if they are not used and managed properly,
they can be very harmful and have negative effects on human health and the
environment. Furthermore, toxic chemicals have a greater health impact on vulnerable
populations. But, do these risks impact women and men to the same degree? How is
gender linked to the uses, effects and management of chemicals and waste?

This module will explain the dynamic between gender, chemicals and waste as well as
its relevance in strengthening the ability to deal with their negative implications and to
promote sustainable development. It will also show the importance of involving women in
decision-making processes, through examples of their leadership, and present some
concrete tools, recommendations and frameworks for integrating gender-responsive
approaches into the management of chemicals. In the end, you will have the opportunity
to share your opinion on how to take action.

LABANI MOTLAGH Sepideh. 2009. “Eileen Kampakuta Brown”, 1325 Weaving Peace,
Icaria Editorial, Madrid, http://www.1325mujerestejiendolapaz.org/semblanzas.html
1.1 Gender, Chemicals and Waste

1.2 How to Use This Module

Previous/next slide icon: Click to go to the previous or the next slide

Click icon: Click/hover over to reveal more information
Further information icon: Click for further information

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Facts & Figures icon: Click to reveal additional data
Drop down text icon: Click to read additional text
Close window icon: Click to close window
Complementary reading icon: Click to access complementary reading
Legal frameworks icon: Click for reference to a legal framework
Point of reflection icon: Point of reflection
Activity icon: Activity/Exercise

1.3 Opening Video

What does Gender have to do with chemicals?

Link: https://youtu.be/9Ts8KdZzqqw

For the full version of the movie, please access:

http://www.brsmeas.org/Gender/Integratinggender/ScopingstudyinNigeria/tabid/5815/lan
guage/en-US/Default.aspx

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1.4 Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

1. Describe the relationship between gender, chemicals and waste

2. Identify key international commitments on gender equality and sound
management of chemicals and waste
3. Explain how gender equality contributes to sound management of chemicals
and waste
4. Provide examples of gender-responsive initiatives on chemicals and waste
safety.

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1.5 Overview

Section 1 - What are the links between gender, chemicals and waste?
Section 2 - What are the gender differences in exposure to toxic chemicals and what
are their health impacts?
Section 3 - How do gender responsive approaches contribute to effective policies and
projects for the sound management of chemicals?

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2. Section 1

2.1 Gender & Chemicals

How are gender and chemicals linked? Why is it important to think about this
relationship? Read on to learn more.

2.2 A Sneak Peek into the Numbers. See if you can guess!

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What percentage of a woman’s chemical burden can be passed on to her baby during
gestation and via breastfeeding?

Answer: 33%

Further Information:
Up to 33 per cent of a woman’s chemical burden can be passed on to her baby during
gestation, through the placenta, as well as via breastfeeding. Women are often not even
aware of the health risks they are facing, given that chemicals can remain in the body for
long periods and manifest themselves later in time. Thus, without knowing, they can put
their babies’ health at risk, including lifelong health effects.

Source:
UNDP. 2017. Gender Mainstreaming - a Key Driver of Development in Environment &
Energy. Available from
<http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/Environment%20and%20Energy/Sustain
able%20Energy/Gender_Mainstreaming_Training_Manual_2007.pdf>

2.3 A Sneak Peek into the Numbers. See if you can guess!

What percentage of waste management companies that have contract services with
local governments are run by women?

Answer: 7%

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Further information:
Overall, women lead only seven per cent of the waste management companies that
have contract services with local governments.

In many countries, given the absence of formal and adequate waste management
services, women volunteer in community cleaning and waste collection activities.
However, when these activities are institutionalized and taken over by a contracting
company, most of the jobs, including key management positions, are assigned to men.

Source:
UNEP. 2015. Global Waste Management Outlook. Available from
https://www.uncclearn.org/sites/default/files/inventory/unep23092015.pdf

2.4 Point of Reflection

Can you think of examples where misuse and mismanagement of chemicals have
different impacts on women and men?

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2.5 Biological Factors: Different Physiology Affects Exposure
and Impacts

Further information: Chemicals bring a number of benefits to modern societies that

often go unnoticed in our daily lives. However, despite important economic, social and
health benefits, chemicals can be extremely harmful if they are not properly managed.
Exposure to harmful chemicals, as well as their impacts, have a different effect on
women/girls and men/boys because of their physiological differences. Click on Women
and Men to know more.
Biological factors:
Click on Women
• Overall, women are more biologically sensitive than men to many pesticides.
Throughout their lives, women have time periods – adolescence, pregnancy,
lactation and menopause – during which their exposure to chemicals can bring
major health impacts, as their bodies undergo changes that increase their
physical vulnerability.
• Women’s exposure to various harmful chemicals can result in serious
consequences for their babies. For instance, chemicals transferred during foetal
development can cause lifelong harm, such as birth defects, and childhood and
adult diseases. Adverse effects can also be carried across families for decades.
A growing number of chemicals have been shown to exert multigenerational and
transgenerational effects.
Click on Men
• Studies have shown that men’s exposure to environmental toxicants - particularly
in industrialized countries - can affect their reproductive health. It is estimated

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 that environmental factors linked to the use of chemicals are one of the major
causes of more than 76 per cent of male infertility cases.

Sources:

IPEN and Pesticide Action Network. 2017. Beyond 2020: Women and Chemical Safety.
Available from <http://www.saicm.org/Portals/12/documents/meetings/IP1/Beyond-2020-
Women-and-chemical-safety-24-Jan-2017.pdf>
IUCN. 2017. Women’s participation and gender considerations in country representation,
planning and reporting to the BRS Conventions: EGI Report
<https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2017-046.pdf>
WONG, W.P. Elissa, CHENG C. Yan. 2011.“Impacts of environmental toxicants on male
reproductive dysfunction”, Trends Pharmacol Sci., 21 May 2011, 32 (5), pp.290-299.
WECF. 2016. Women and Chemicals: The Impact of Hazardous Chemicals on Women,
a Thought Starter Based on an Experts' Workshop. Available from
<http://www.wecf.eu/download/2016/March/WomenAndChemicals_PublicationIWD2016.
pdf>

2.6 Gender Norms and Roles

Further information: Several social factors, including differences in occupational roles

and household responsibilities, also impact gender differences in exposure to toxic
chemicals and the resulting health effects.

Gender expectations: Due to cultural norms, women are the number one users of
cosmetics and personal care products. These products often include dangerous and
toxic ingredients. Women use an average of nine personal care products each day,
exposing themselves to a mixture of over 100 different chemicals.

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Social norms: In many cases, due to poverty, lack of social protection, access to
information and resources, and their precarious conditions of work, women are more
vulnerable to chemical exposure. They are often employed in less valued segments of
the economy and informal sectors, are paid less and do not have as much health
protection as men. For example, a large majority of the 1.5 million waste collectors in
India are women and girls from socially marginalized groups, who are regularly exposed
to infectious and toxic materials from open burning.
Household work: Most cleaning and household management-related activities are
performed by women, so they are more likely to be exposed to toxic chemicals found in
cleaning materials, insecticides, and other similar products.
Work exposure: Due to the type of activities they participate in within various
industries, from health care to small scale artisanal production, women are exposed to
certain chemicals even when they do not directly apply them to their skin. For example,
women generally represent the majority of workers in the pharmacy and nursing sector,
administering care or conducting medical tests. This increases their chances of being
exposed to chemical agents used in these procedures.
Decision-making processes: Of 150 National Implementation Plans under the
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, only two per cent characterize
women as “agents of change”, while 41 per cent consider them as “vulnerable”, 33 per
cent as “beneficiaries”, and 35 per cent as “stakeholders”.

Sources:
IUCN. 2017. Women’s participation and gender considerations in country representation,
planning and reporting to the BRS Conventions: EGI Report
<https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2017-046.pdf>
WECF. 2016. Women and Chemicals: The Impact of Hazardous Chemicals on Women,
a Thought Starter Based on an Experts' Workshop. Available from
<http://www.wecf.eu/download/2016/March/WomenAndChemicals_PublicationIWD2016.
pdf>
SAICM. 2017. Gender and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste, Note by
the Secretariat. Available from
<http://www.saicm.org/Portals/12/documents/meetings/IP2/IP_2_6_gender_document.p
df>

http://web.unep.org/ietc/sites/unep.org.ietc/files/Did%20You%20Know%20%28Gender%
20%26%20WM%29%20v.1.0%20%28r%29.pdf

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2.7 Key Message

Human beings are exposed daily to a variety of different chemicals.

Biological differences as well as social factors, including differences in occupation and
responsibilities within the household, influence the way men and women are exposed to
toxic chemicals and their consequent health impacts.
As women are disproportionately affected, it is crucial to understand such differences to
enhance their well-being.

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3. Section 2

3.1 Section 2: Dimensions of Chemicals and Waste Management

and the Gender Gap

What are the gender differences in exposure to toxic chemicals and their resulting
impacts in different contexts? This section explains how men and women are affected
differently by chemicals in the areas of agriculture, waste, mining, personal care
products and cosmetics, and why we need women’s and girls’ empowerment, access to
resources and education, and participation in decision-making.

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3.2 Video: Leave No Woman Behind: Gender Inequality and
Women's Exposure to Chemicals

Eunice and Josephine used to earn their living in the flower industry in Kenya. They
could have coped with their low wages in the grey economy, but the chemicals used to
grow the flowers were making them ill. Watch the video to find out about their story.

Link: https://youtu.be/Y9wtTOlx0Lo

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3.3 Different Aspects of the Gender Gap in Chemicals

Further information: Explore fundamental issues with regard to gender inequality and
women's exposure to chemicals in different sectors. Click on the rectangles to find out
more.
Agriculture
Waste
Mining
Hygiene Products and Cosmetics

Click on Gender Gap: The term gender gap refers to any disparity and inequality
between women’s and men’s condition due to their position and role in society. It
concerns inequalities with respect to level of participation, access to opportunities, rights,
power to influence and make decisions, incomes and benefits, and control and use of
resources.
Source:
GEF. 2017. GEF Policy on Gender Equality

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3.4 Agriculture

Further information: The increasing industrialization of agriculture and the

unsustainable use of fertilizers and pesticides have a high impact on human health and
on the environment.
The 70 per cent and more: Given that women represent about 70 per cent of the
agricultural labour force in developing countries, they shoulder a large part of the burden
from the use of toxic chemicals in this sector. In some countries, women make up 85 per
cent or more of the pesticide applicators on commercial farms and plantations. For
instance, an estimated 30,000 women in Malaysia spray pesticides on an average of
262 days per year. Eighty per cent of the spraying is carried out with leaky hand-held
equipment.

The gender (uninformed) impact:

Female farmers and agricultural workers often do not know what kind of pesticides and
chemicals they deal with and how dangerous they are for their health and for the health
of their children. For instance, a survey of female rice farmers in Thailand found that
women lack basic training in handling pesticides. Furthermore, women and men often
have unequal power in the household and, typically, men make the decisions about new
technologies and strategies for their farms.

Sources:
IPEN and Pesticide Action Network. 2017. Beyond 2020: Women and Chemical Safety.
Available from <http://www.saicm.org/Portals/12/documents/meetings/IP1/Beyond-2020-
Women-and-chemical-safety-24-Jan-2017.pdf>
UNEP. 2016. Global Gender and Environment Outlook. Available from
<http://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/14764/GLOBAL%20GENDER
%20AND%20ENVIRONMENT%20OUTLOOK.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

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3.5 Waste

Waste and Chemicals: Waste contains and releases highly toxic chemicals that may be
life and health threatening, in particular for women and children who tend to be
responsible for waste management and sorting in their households and communities.
Given the differences in the distribution of responsibilities, resources and barriers
between women and men, they often have different needs and preferences related to
waste management.

Example: While men may prefer a drop-off central collection point system, women may
prefer door-to-door collection. This is due to the time constraints women often face
because of their multiple roles and responsibilities related to formal and informal work,
career and domestic tasks, and the limited mobility sometimes imposed by social
expectations.

Following the waste cycle:

At home: Using local uncontrolled dumpsites or carrying out hazardous disposal

practices, such as open burning of waste, represent a risk for women’s and children’s
health, who are typically responsible for dealing with household waste.

Community level: In many communities, in the absence of adequate waste

management services, women take on the responsibility for community sanitation,
volunteering their time and labour to complete tasks such as cleaning, sweeping the
streets and providing primary collection of waste.

Waste management services: When cleaning services or waste collection services are
contracted to private enterprises or institutionalized, it is often men who get the jobs –
there is a general perception in many places that formalized (and therefore paid) work in

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waste management is a man’s job. This denies women the opportunity to earn a living or
improve their position.

Source:
UNEP. 2016. Gender and Waste Management Did you know…? Available from
<http://web.unep.org/ietc/sites/unep.org.ietc/files/Did%20You%20Know%20Sheet%20%
28Gender%20%26%20WM%29%20v.1.1.pdf>

3.6 Mining

Further information: Mining and post extraction treatment are occupations primarily
assumed by men, especially in industrial processes. In these areas, women are more
involved in work surrounding the mining, such as the provision of food supplies and
amenities.
Women are mostly employed in post extraction work in small scale artisanal mining,
such as cleaning and treating the minerals. Depending on the mineral, numerous
chemicals are used in the process.

What are the health risks of gold miners? An important chemical used in the gold
mining industry is mercury. Mercury is a highly toxic element that can cause damage to
the nervous system even at a relatively low level of exposure. This has differentiated
impacts on men and women. Both men and women can be affected by Minamata
disease, a neurological syndrome caused by exposure to high doses of mercury.

Differentiated impact: Even when women and children are not directly working in the
mines, they are affected by this polluted environment. Women and girls are more
frequently in contact with contaminated water due to their domestic work, which includes
collecting water, washing clothes and utensils in rivers, and bathing children.

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 Facts & Figures:
● Artisanal small-scale gold mining is a means of survival for an estimated 10-15
million miners in 70 countries, including approximately three million women and
children. The work conditions have a significant impact on health; children are also
affected from the moment of conception when women participate in mining activities,
as well as when they are taken to the mining areas.
● In Africa, women represent 40 to 50 per cent of the workers in small-scale artisanal
mining and are mostly engaged in post extraction jobs, which take place in the most
toxic environments.

Sources:
MMP. 2003. Impacts of Mining on Women’s Health, Background Paper by Mines,
Minerals and People (MMP) for the Indian Women and Mining seminar. Available from
<http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=1817>
GEF. 2016. GOLD: Addressing Mercury Pollution from Artisanal Gold Mining. Available
from <https://www.thegef.org/events/gold-addressing-mercury-pollution-artisanal-gold-
mining>
The Balance. 2017. Mercury Usage In Gold Mining And Why Is It A Problem. Available
from <https://www.thebalance.com/gold-mining-mercury-usage-2367340>
WHO. Mercury. Available from
<http://www.who.int/ipcs/assessment/public_health/mercury/en/>
WILPF. 2016. À l’autre bout de la chaîne : les femmes dans les mines artisanales en
RDC. Available from <https://wilpf.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/10/LesFemmesDansLesMinesArtisanalesEnRDC_web.pdf>

3.7 Hygiene Products and Cosmetics

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Further information: Women represent the broadest share of end users for cosmetic
products.Therefore, they are more exposed to the chemicals contained in such products,
including heavy metals, and suffer more consequences. Mercury and lead are among
the chemicals of most concern among the international community, mainly due to their
health impacts during pregnancy.
What are the health risks?
● Men and women differ in their physical vulnerability to the use of hygiene products
and cosmetics. Gender roles, and related social pressure, have an impact on the
decisions that determine the use of cosmetics and risk related behaviours.
● Many studies stress the presence of low-level concentrations of potential
reproductive or developmental toxicants, which lack safety data, in cosmetics and
personal care products, such as makeup, shampoo, skin lotion, nail polish.
● Most cosmetic products do not disclose the presence of hazardous chemicals on
their labels, which often include technical language that is difficult to understand for
the non-expert. Only in very few regions of the world is there comprehensive
disclosure.
● Health impacts range from skin rashes, headaches and asthma, to endocrine
disruption, cancers, damage to the brain, the nervous system, the kidneys and the
liver, fertility effects and still births.

What are the environmental impacts?

● In the countries where disposable menstrual hygiene products are available, the
average woman uses over 11,000 tampons over her lifetime, leaving behind residue
far beyond her lifespan; the tampons a woman uses in a year leave a carbon
footprint equivalent to 5.3 kg of CO2. For example, it has been estimated that 20
billion menstrual pads, tampons and applicators, which contain toxic ingredients, are
dumped into north American landfills every year.
● Face scrubs and toothpaste contain microbeads made by petrochemical plastics like
polystyrene and polypropylene that cause microplastic water pollution in canals and
rivers. The packaging of these cosmetic products is made mostly with plastic, which
poses challenges to the environment, including marine environment and its species
when it becomes waste.
● P-phenylenediamine (found in lipsticks and hair dye) is a dangerous chemical
derived from coal tar that kills animal plankton and other aquatic species.
● Mercury, used in skin lightening creams, is released into the environment as it is
washed from the skin. This can lead to environmental contamination, particularly as
mercury may not be removed in sewage treatment facilities.

Sources:
HBS. 2016. The ecological impact of Feminine Hygiene Products. Available from
<https://rctom.hbs.org/submission/the-ecological-impact-of-feminine-hygiene-products/>
EHP. 2014. A Question for Women's Health: Chemicals in Feminine Hygiene Products
and Personal Lubricants. Available from <https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/wp-
content/uploads/122/3/ehp.122-A70.pdf>
BARRETTE R. J. 2005. “Chemical Exposures: The Ugly Side of Beauty Products”,
Environment Health Perspectives.

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Green Spirit. 2016. Beauty Products & Their Impact on Health and the Environment.
Available from <http://greenspirit.com/beauty-environment/>
Women and Chemicals

3.8 What Are the Opportunities to Bridge the Gap?

Opportunities:

● Educate both men and women on the risks associated with chemicals, taking into
account gender disparities in access to information.
● Raise awareness of the linkages between chemical exposures, the effects on
human health and the environment, and gender differences in risks and impacts.
● Support mandatory labelling of all chemicals in products to ensure the right to
information.
● Promote a multi-stakeholder approach to ensure the participation of women and
vulnerable populations in policy development and decision-making processes for
the sound management of chemicals.
● Implement ‘the polluter pays’ principle and the precautionary principle for
chemicals that are harmful or suspected to be harmful to human health and the
environment, through regulatory measures.
● Gather gender-disaggregated data and research on the intersection between
women and chemicals.
● Strengthen women’s rights, in particular their participatory rights, in all aspects of
decision making, chemical production, use and disposal.

Sources:
Women’s participation and gender considerations in country representation, planning
and reporting to the BRS Conventions. IUCN, 2017. Available from

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<http://www.brsmeas.org/Gender/Integratinggender/IUCNgenderreport/tabid/6156/langu
age/en-US/Default.aspx>
Energy & Environment Practice Gender Mainstreaming Guidance Series: Chemicals
Management. United Nations Development Programme, February 2011.

3.9 Key Message

Sound management of chemicals that incorporates gender-responsive approaches is

crucial to the achievement of sustainable development, including poverty eradication,
improvement of human health and environmental conservation.
Equal access to information on chemicals’ safety, risks, and management as well as
women’s empowerment and participation in decision making are key priorities.

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4. Section 3
4.1 Section 3 – Gender, Chemicals and Waste:
A Framework for Action

Section 3: How do we address the gender gap? Learn more about how gender
considerations have been integrated into international commitments, national policies,
projects and local initiatives to address the harmful effects of chemicals more effectively.
A series of case studies illustrate good practices.

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4.2 Gender Mainstreaming - From International to Local Level

Click on the triangles to explore the different levels.

[INTERNATIONAL]

4.3 Global Treaties - Exercise: Drag and Drop

[Slide opening after clicking on “International”]

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The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions aim to protect human health
and the environment from the negative effects of hazardous chemicals and waste. The
three conventions together cover elements of the “cradle-to-grave” management of
chemicals. Try to match each Convention with its description. Once you submit, you will
be able to see the correct answer.
● Basel - Its objective is to protect human health and the environment against the
adverse effects of hazardous wastes.
● Rotterdam - Requires applying a Prior Informed Consent procedure which
provides for a national decision-making process on import of hazardous
chemicals listed under the Convention
● Stockholm - Aims to eliminate dangerous Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
and to raise awareness of the dangers of POPs.

4.4 The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

[Click to learn about each one of the Conventions]

Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous

Wastes and their Disposal

● Adopted in 1989 in response to concerns about developed country companies

dumping hazardous wastes in developing countries, the Convention covers a
wide range of wastes defined as “hazardous” based on their origin and/or
composition and characteristics, as well as two types of wastes defined as “other
wastes” - household waste and incinerator ash.

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 ● Its aim is to control transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their
disposal based on the concept of prior informed consent. This means that a
transboundary movement in hazardous wastes covered under the Convention
can only take place if and when all States concerned have given their written
consent.
● The Convention, which has 186 Parties as of May 2018, provides for cooperation
between Parties, ranging from exchange of information to technical assistance,
particularly to developing countries and countries with economy in transition.

Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain

Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade

● Adopted in 1998 in response to the dramatic growth in chemicals trade and

vulnerability of developing countries to uncontrolled import, it has the
following objectives:
● to promote shared responsibility of certain hazardous chemicals in order to
protect human health and the environment from potential harm;
● to contribute to the environmentally sound use of those hazardous chemicals,
by facilitating information exchange about their characteristics, providing a
national decision-making process on their import and export, and
disseminating these decisions to Parties.
● It has 160 Parties as of May 2018. It covers pesticides and industrial
chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted for health or
environmental reasons by Parties and which have been notified by Parties for
inclusion in the Prior Informed Consent procedure.
● Once a chemical is included in Annex III to the Convention, Parties have nine
months to communicate an import response to either allow import, not to
allow import, or to allow import subject to specific conditions.
● The Convention requires exchange of information on a broad range of
potentially hazardous chemicals when it comes to the trade of these
chemicals.

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

● Adopted in 2001 in response to an urgent need for global action on Persistent

Organic Pollutants (POPs - chemicals that are persistent and bioaccumulate
in fatty tissues and are biomagnified through the food chain), it has the
following objectives:
● to eliminate dangerous POPs, starting with a list of 28 as of May 2018, while
supporting the transition to safer alternatives;
● to raise awareness of the dangers of POPs and promote research to target
additional POPs;
● to clean up old stockpiles and equipment containing POPs;
● to encourage cooperative efforts among Parties through National
Implementation Plans and information exchange amongst national focal
points.
● It has 182 Parties as of 24 May 2018.

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Sources:
Basel Convention. Available from
<http://www.basel.int/TheConvention/Overview/tabid/1271/Default.aspx>
Rotterdam Convention Overview. Available from
<http://www.pic.int/TheConvention/Overview/tabid/1044/language/en-US/Default.aspx>
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Available from
<http://chm.pops.int/TheConvention/Overview/tabid/3351/Default.aspx>
IUCN. 2017. Women’s participation and gender considerations in country representation,
planning and reporting to the BRS Conventions: EGI Report
<https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2017-046.pdf

4.5 A Sneak Peek into the Numbers. See if you can guess!

What percentage of named focal points, national contacts and designated national
authorities to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions are women?

Answer: 34%

Further information:
Designated national focal points and contacts act on a Party’s behalf in the performance
of the administrative functions required by the Conventions.

Thirty-four per cent of named focal points, national contacts and designated national
authorities to the BRS Conventions are women, while 66 per cent are men. The BRS
Conventions intend to protect human health and the environment from the negative
effects of hazardous pollutants. In order to successfully reach this goal, gender
differences should be taken into consideration and mainstreamed through all the stages
of policymaking - from the initial assessment of the issues and the effects of chemicals
on the population to the equitable involvement of both women and men in the decision-

27
making processes, including women’s participation in the Conferences of the Parties
(COPs), the Conventions’ Subsidiary Bodies, and at the national level.

Source:
IUCN. 2017. Women’s participation and gender considerations in country representation,
planning and reporting to the BRS Conventions: EGI Report
<https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2017-046.pdf>

4.6 Gender and the BRS Conventions

The Gender Action Plan of the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm
Conventions (BRS-GAP)

This provides the guiding framework to ensure that gender concerns are mainstreamed
throughout the work of the BRS Conventions.

The objectives of the Gender Action Plan are to:

● Promote the consideration of gender issues in hazardous chemicals and
waste management at the national and regional levels;
● Develop an understanding and support from BRS staff on the issue of gender
equality;
● Ensure that the Secretariat’s programmes and projects are planned and
implemented from the gender equality perspective; and
● Support staff in achieving a sustainable work-life balance.

The plan envisions gender equality as “an integral part of the implementation of the
Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, including the Secretariat”.

28
Gender Responsive Decisions: At the meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the
BRS Conventions in 2017, Parties adopted decisions BC-12/20, RC-8/13 and SC 8/23
on gender mainstreaming, recognizing that efforts are still needed to ensure that women
and men, boys and girls, from all Parties, are equally involved in the implementation of
the three conventions and are represented in their bodies and processes, and thus
participate in decision-making on gender-responsive hazardous chemicals and waste
policies.

Sources:
Gender Action Plan of the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm
Conventions (BRS-GAP) for 2016-2017
<http://www.brsmeas.org/Portals/4/download.aspx?d=UNEP-FAO-CHW-RC-POPS-
SEC-REP-BRS-GAP-2016-2017.English.pdf>

Decisions BC-12/20, RC-8/13, SC 8/23 on gender mainstreaming

<http://www.basel.int/TheConvention/ConferenceoftheParties/ReportsandDecisions/tabi
d/3303/Default.aspx>,
<http://www.pic.int/TheConvention/ConferenceoftheParties/ReportsandDecisions/tabid/1
728/language/en-US/Default.aspx>
<http://chm.pops.int/TheConvention/ConferenceoftheParties/ReportsandDecisions/tabid/
208/Default.aspx>

4.7 Other International Agreements

Minamata Convention on Mercury

29
Adopted in 2013, the Minamata Convention on Mercury aims to protect human health
and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and
mercury compounds.

Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer

• The Protocol was designed to reduce the production and consumption of ozone
depleting substances in order to reduce their abundance in the atmosphere.
• The Guide on Gender Mainstreaming Montreal Protocol Projects raises important
questions for consideration on gender and chemicals: Are women and men given
the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes? Do both women and
men have equal access and equally benefit from capacity-building activities and
training? Are work environments of industries providing opportunities for women
to take on leadership roles in sustainable industrial production?

Chemical Weapons Convention

• The Convention aims to eliminate an entire category of chemical weapons of
mass destruction. In 2016, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons’ (OPCW), the implementing body for the Convention, launched the
Symposium on Women in Chemistry that aims to illustrate the strength and depth
of the contributions of women in chemistry, raise awareness of capacity
development for women in chemistry and promote international solidarity and
cooperation in this regard.

Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)

• In 2002, the World Summit on Sustainable Development called for the
development of SAICM. This approach addresses the significant health and
environmental harms caused by chemical exposure and makes a global political
commitment to reform how chemicals are produced and used to minimize those
harms.

Sources:

IUCN. 2017. Women’s participation and gender considerations in country representation,

planning and reporting to the BRS Conventions: EGI Report
<https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2017-046.pdf>
IPEN and Pesticide Action Network. 2017. Beyond 2020: Women and Chemical Safety.
Available from <http://www.saicm.org/Portals/12/documents/meetings/IP1/Beyond-2020-
Women-and-chemical-safety-24-Jan-2017.pdf
OPCW. Chemical Weapons Convention. Available at <https://www.opcw.org/chemical-
weapons-convention/>
UN Environment, Ozone Secretariat. Available at <http://ozone.unep.org/en/treaties-and-
decisions/montreal-protocol-substances-deplete-ozone-layer>

30
 4.8 National Implementation Plans under the Stockholm
Convention

[Slide opening after clicking on “National”]

Article 7 of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) specifies

that Parties are required to develop a plan for the implementation of their obligations
under the Convention. These are the National Implementation Plans (NIPs), which need
to be linked to the national sustainable development strategy of the Party. The plan
should be reviewed and updated periodically. Article 7 also mentions that it needs to
include the views of national stakeholders, including women’s groups and groups
involved in the health of children.

Move the slider from left to right to check possible examples of the
recommendations for the National Implementation Plans under the Stockholm
Convention:
1. Support women’s participation at all levels, including qualified women and men in the
delegations of the Parties and as committee members.
2. Ensure information sharing and promotion of documentation across women’s
organizations and networks to broaden stakeholders’ understanding and engagement to
complement party representation.
3. Explore connections between NIPs and national level strategies on sustainability and on
gender equality.
4. Produce gender-related information in reporting/evaluating documents related to BRS
Conventions.
5. Promote capacity building around the importance of including gender-responsive
approaches in reporting mechanisms to raise awareness.

31
6. Promote stronger institutionalization of gender policies in the government and increase
women’s role in decision-making on matters of chemical policies.
7. Recognize women’s role in raising awareness and encourage projects that have a
gender component and contribute to reducing the harmful effects of chemicals.
● E.g. In Nigeria, women are already involved in campaigns for waste
reduction as well as in the banning of lindane in children’s lice-shampoos
and of skin bleaching creams that contain mercury.

Complementary Reading:
GEF's gender mainstreaming policy has led to implementing agencies adding gender
analyses in chemicals' projects. For more information please access
https://www.thegef.org/sites/default/files/council-meeting-
documents/EN_GEF.C.53.04_Gender_Policy.pdf

Sources:
IUCN Global Gender Office.2017. Women’s participation and gender considerations in
country representation, planning and reporting to the BRS Conventions.
WECF. 2017. Gender Dimensions of Hazardous Chemicals and Waste policies under
the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. Available from
<http://www.wecf.eu/download/2017/11-
November/GenderDimensions_GenderWaste_Casestudy_2017_wecf.org.pdf>
Appendix II of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Available
from <http://chm.pops.int/Portals/0/Repository/conf/UNEP-POPS-CONF-4-
AppendixII.5206ab9e-ca67-42a7-afee-9d90720553c8.pdf#Article%207>
Stockholm Convention. National Implementation Plans. Available from
<http://chm.pops.int/Implementation/NationalImplementationPlans/Overview/tabid/565/D
efault.aspx>

4.9 Exercise - Drag and Drop

32
Explore examples of NIPs from different countries:

Morocco - Includes the sensitization of women and other groups regarding POPs as an
indicator in its initial NIP.
Botswana - Acknowledges in its NIP that women’s participation in traditional meeting
places is minimal and thus other outreach strategies need to be adopted so they can
freely interact and fully participate in the decision-making process.
Pakistan - Incorporates an activity to develop and implement strategic interventions to
address the capacity needs of women’s groups, among others, and facilitate awareness-
raising activities.

Sources:
IUCN. 2017. Women’s participation and gender considerations in country representation,
planning and reporting to the BRS Conventions: EGI Report
<https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2017-046.pdf>
WECF. 2017. Gender Dimensions of Hazardous Chemicals and Waste policies under
the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. Available from
<http://www.wecf.eu/download/2017/11-
November/GenderDimensions_GenderWaste_Casestudy_2017_wecf.org.pdf>

4.10 How Do You Take Gender into Consideration in a Project?

Gender equality issues to be considered by the project

In order to see whether gender is being mainstreamed in projects, some key questions
must be considered.

Example: Gender-responsivity on e-waste projects

33
For e-waste projects, the following gender-responsive approach could be taken into
account while designing the project. Move the slider from left to right to access the
questions:
1. Are women part of decision-making on e-waste management at the
governmental level?
2. Do women play a role in e-waste collection, recycling and management?
3. Is there data on e-waste toxic exposure on women/girls and men/boys at the
country level?
4. Are there women’s organizations involved in e-waste management and recycling
issues?
5. Will it be useful to organize workshops for women on e-waste artisanal recycling
and toxic chemicals exposure?
6. Is there gender-disaggregated data on the percentage of those involved in low
paid, unsecure and unskilled labour positions in the country?

Guidance to Advance Gender Equality in GEF Projects and Programmes

GEF agencies are required to:

1. Indicate information on gender-responsiveness relevant to the proposed activity

and any measures to address these, including the process of collecting sex-
disaggregated data and information on gender.
2. Describe any consultations conducted during project development, as well as
information on how stakeholders will be engaged in the proposed activity, and
their means of engagement throughout the project/programme cycle.

Complementary reading:
Gender Dimensions of Hazardous Chemicals and Waste in National and Regional
policies. Case Studies: Indonesia and Nigeria. Available from:
<http://www.wecf.eu/download/2017/11-
November/GenderDimensions_GenderWaste_Casestudy_2017_wecf.org.pdf
Sources:
GEF. 2018. Guidance to Advance Gender Equality in GEF Projects and Programs.
Available at < https://www.thegef.org/sites/default/files/council-meeting-
documents/EN_GEF.C.54.Inf_.05_Guidance_Gender.pdf>
UNDP. 2017. Guide to Mainstreaming Gender into UNDP-GEF Projects on Chemicals
and Wastes.
UNDP 2016. Guide to Gender Mainstreaming in UNDP Supported GEF Financed
Projects.

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4.12 Point of Reflection

Can you think of two other questions that can be helpful for the design and
implementation of a gender responsive project?

4.13 Good practices - Local Level

35
4.14 Case Study: Gender Heroes of the Asia-Pacific

Issue: In the Asia-Pacific region, the increasing use of pesticides is significantly

impacting agricultural production and, more generally, the environment. Rural
communities and small farmers in these areas are also affected. Health risks arise from
the use of pesticides, especially for women and children.
Action: The Pesticides Action Network in Asia-Pacific (PAN AP) advocates for the
reduction and elimination of pesticides in the region. Working together with women
farmers, the network provides documentation and data on the adverse impacts of these
products. The initiative also provides leadership training for rural women and teaches
them how to adopt ecologically sound and sustainable agricultural practices through
dedicated publications, workshops and training.
Impact: Through awareness raising and training, women and communities are
empowered to opt for non-pesticide-based agriculture and are able to replicate
sustainable practices. Many of the farmers who have been trained by PAN AP now
practice organic agriculture. They also contribute to the growth of the network. PAN AP
has contributed to several campaigns, including one led by the NGO Tenaganita and
female workers that stopped an operator in Malaysia and Indonesia from using
dangerous pesticides on plantations.

Source:
BRS. 2015. Gender Heroes: From Grassroots to Global Action. Available from
<http://www.brsmeas.org/Portals/4/download.aspx?d=UNEP-FAO-CHW-RC-POPS-
SEC-REP-BRS-GenderHeroe.English.pdf>

36
4.15 Case Study: Nigeria – Wecyclers

Issue: Plastic contains chemicals that are harmful to human health, such as hormone-
disrupting and carcinogenic bisphenol-A and phthalates. When burned, plastic emits
dioxins (POPs). Plastic is also one of the great global pollutants. In Nigeria, this
represents a significant issue as the country has not yet started to ban one-time use of
plastic bags and bottles.
Action: Bilikiss Abiola is a female entrepreneur who has created ‘Wecyclers’, a social
business that consists of a network of community-based recycling schemes in different
Lagos neighbourhoods. Wecyclers provides incentives to households to select their
waste, by separating plastic, cans, paper and glass. A Wecyclers employee visits
households on a trolley bicycle, collects and weighs the bags of waste, and gives the
household a stamp for each bag collected. When enough stamps have been collected,
the household is rewarded with the possibility of choosing free goods from a set of gifts
offered by the organization.
Impact: Women are the main social beneficiaries of the initiative. They generate value
from their waste, while contributing to preserving the environment by promoting the local
recycling industry.

Source:
BRS/WECF. 2017. Gender Dimensions of Hazardous Chemicals and Waste policies
under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. Available from
<http://www.wecf.eu/download/2017/11-
November/GenderDimensions_GenderWaste_Casestudy_2017_wecf.org.pdf>

37
4.16 Case Study: Indonesia - Agroecology Practices

Issue: In Indonesia, the number of pesticides has increased dramatically - more than
3,200 brand names of pesticides were officially registered between 2000 and 2017. In
this context, farmers in agricultural plantations are exposed not only to highly hazardous
or even banned pesticides but also to unethical promotion of pesticides, insecticides or
fungicides, with several negative consequences. In particular, reproductive health
problems have been reported by women farmers.
Action: The Gita Pertiwi Foundation is a local NGO that took the initiative of training
women farmers on the effects of harmful chemicals, which pesticides to avoid, as well as
the importance of reading labels before purchase and use. Agroecology practices are
promoted as an alternative to pest control and as a sustainable way to ensure safe
interactions between humans, plants, animals and the environment.
Impact: Community monitoring has been introduced as a mechanism of self-protection.
Women farmers are encouraged to report harmful pesticides found in their areas to the
authorities.

Source:
BRS/WECF. 2017. Gender Dimensions of Hazardous Chemicals and Waste policies
under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. Available from
<http://www.wecf.eu/download/2017/11-
November/GenderDimensions_GenderWaste_Casestudy_2017_wecf.org.pdf>

38
4.17 Case Study: India - From Toxics to Green

Issue: In many countries, such as India, people living in poor and vulnerable conditions
sometimes resort to waste picking in exchange for a small income. E-waste, which can
be easily found in dumpsites in urban areas due to the lack of dedicated collection
systems, provides opportunities to find valuable components that can be re-used and re-
sold. A significant share of e-waste pickers includes women and children. In the process
of e-waste collection, pickers are particularly exposed to toxic chemicals including
dioxins and furans.
Action: The Responsible Electronics initiative trains informal sector workers, especially
women, to serve as e-waste pickers and then sell what they have collected to authorized
recyclers. The initiative aims at promoting more dignified livelihoods for poor people and
preventing e-waste mismanagement.
Impact: Through economic empowerment and the formalization and regulation of the
waste picking activity, the livelihoods of e-waste collectors have improved. In addition,
environmental benefits have been promoted as the initiative prevents e-waste from
being burnt and poorly recycled.

Source:
BRS conventions. 2015. Gender Heroes: From Grassroots to Global Action. Available
from <http://www.brsmeas.org/Portals/4/download.aspx?d=UNEP-FAO-CHW-RC-
POPS-SEC-REP-BRS-GenderHeroe.English.pdf>

39
4.18 Key Message

Gender responsive policies and projects support the design of more effective, efficient
and inclusive chemicals and waste management systems. Opportunities for action exist
at the international, national, and local levels.

4.19 Point of Reflection

40
4.20 Your Reflections

4.21 Module Summary

● Due to biological and social factors, women and men are exposed to and
affected by chemicals and waste differently.
● Women are more physically vulnerable to the impacts of chemicals and waste.
This can have major negative impacts on their health, their babies and their
socio-economic development.

41
 ● Gender-based roles expose women and men differently to chemicals and waste
and their effects in multiple areas, including agriculture, waste management,
mining and cosmetics.
● Sound management of chemicals and waste that incorporates gender
mainstreaming considerations is crucial to the achievement of sustainable
development.
● Gender concerns are mainstreamed throughout the work of the Basel, Rotterdam
and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions through the Gender Action Plan.
● One of the biggest challenges is to make a convincing case to governments and
policymakers to address gender in chemicals and waste policies, as there is a
lack of global data in this area.
● Frameworks and guidelines on how to consider gender in chemicals and waste-
related projects help bridge the inequality gap.
● Including gender-responsive approaches at the forefront of the chemicals and
waste management agenda, including all relevant sectors, will protect women
and men today as well as future generations.

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