Gender and harmful chemicals – Bolivia and Kyrgyzstan case studies

Between 2019 and 2021, WECF and its partners in Kyrgyzstan (BIOM, EKOIS ) and in Bolivia (Reaccion Climatica) studied the situation of hazardous chemicals and gender impacts, on request of UN Environment, secretariat of the chemicals conventions (Basel Rotterdam Stockholm).

Scoping studies were carried out in 2019, with a focus on the implementation of the International Chemicals Conventions, the Basel Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. Multistakeholder dialogue sessions with civil society, governments and the private sector were organised in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and La Paz (Bolivia).

The project partners visited numerous hotspots of chemical pollution. In Kyrgyzstan was visited the large hazardous waste site near the capital, as well as the asbestos-cement factory in Kant. Meetings were also organised with retailers of pesticides, selling banned products, also with environmental protection groups and concerned citizens and women’s organisations.

In Bolivia, the partners visited the illegal waste dumpsites near the capital, as well as the natural park where small-scale gold mining exploration is happening, with the use of toxic mercury.

The results of the scoping studies were discussed with different authorities and stakeholders, and recommendations for gender-responsive measures to reduce chemical pollution were formulated and introduced.

The recommendations were presented at the United Nations in Geneva, during the Conference of Parties of the BRS Conventions, as well as at the United Nations in New York, during the High-Level Political Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals. The project is financially supported by UN Environment.

The following documents are available to be downloaded: