The Gender & Chemicals Partnership (G&CP), a coalition of international stakeholders dedicated to addressing the pollution crisis with a gender-responsive approach, held its first Assembly on November 18- 19, 2024. The event represents a foundational step in integrating gender perspectives into the management of chemicals and wastes worldwide.
Each year, pollution from hazardous chemicals contributes to an estimated 9 million deaths globally, a crisis on par with climate change and biodiversity loss. While it impacts all genders, research shows that women and girls are disproportionately affected due to a combination of biological and social factors that increase their exposure risks. The gendered impact of chemical exposure is one we encounter daily, whether through products we use, food we consume, or jobs we perform. It spans industries and various realms of life, including cosmetics, medicine, agriculture, and mining. And yet, we still lack the data, research, and tools to fully understand gender-specific risks and create policies that protect everyone.
The G&CP was launched on September 28, 2023, at the 5th International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5) in Bonn, Germany, to address these urgent needs. The multi-stakeholder partnership brings together diverse stakeholders from government, academia, civil society, and industry to build a future where the management of chemicals and wastes is safe and sustainable for all genders. First members include the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV); the Foreign Ministry of Mexico; The Caribbean Poison Information Network (CARPIN) and Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC), a global initiative focused on eliminating hazardous chemicals from the textile industry, among others.
The G&CP’s goals are to raise awareness about the connections between gender, chemicals, and waste; to promote data-collection and research on gendered impacts; and to advance global policy discussions. It also aims to promote knowledge sharing and training, and help stakeholders integrate gender perspectives into their work.
The first Assembly marks an important step toward these objectives, launching collaborative working groups and establishing the necessary formal structures to drive progress toward a safer and healthier management of chemicals for all genders.
