The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs were adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in September 2015. The SDGs aim to meet the dual challenge of overcoming poverty and protecting the planet. They highlight a comprehensive vision of sustainable development that embraces economic, social and environmental dimension.
The goal of this community of practice is to facilitate discussions with various stakeholders from different sectors on documents and other knowledge materials being developed around the linkages between chemical management and the achievement of the sustainable development goals, including gender (learn more about SDGs here).
Another key goal is how to bring in and engage with the youth in relation to chemicals and the sustainable development goals.
Past sessions
Online discussion: Innovation for achieving the Chemical related SDGs
Download the community of practice summary of discussions
Gender Mainstreaming: integrating gender in chemicals and waste management is key to such management being just and effective; recognizing gender aspects includes taking into account biological and social differences as well as realizing the transformational potential of gender responsiveness. Multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration is needed across the board to achieve the SDGs; it does not replace governmental and stakeholder responsibilities but it can strengthen and improve chemicals management, pooling expertise and ressources, fostering innovation, building stronger political will.
The water quality of the major water resources in the rural areas has been assessed with a clear indication that pollution effects are mainly organic due to open defecation, improper construction of wells, non-hygienic nature of overhead tanks and
Our works contribute to a better policy and regulations related to chemicals and waste issues, especially heavy metals and chemicals in products. We advocate cleaner productions, safer alternatives, and national standard, supported by new law or revised law. We also work with all stakeholders, ranging from producers/manufacturers, safer alternatives providers, workers union, academia, consumer groups, procurement group, law makers, and government officials. We conduct awareness raising to attract the general public about certain issues, collect samples, analyse it in qualified laboratories, and disseminate it to the public aimed to influence the policy change and regulations.
I train workers, farmers and young people on sound management of chemicals in order to protect their health and their environment. I also participate in analysis of policies and investment projects to ensure they support healthy living and environment. I am also involved in the study on chemical safety in Africa - one such study was recently published by the University of Eastern Finland and it was on the challenges of accessing justice facing people in Africa from dumping of toxic waste in the continent. I also monitor implementation of MEAs in the region on behalf of Workers and Trade
In my organization, we are working to spread the message about the need for environmental conservation – to ensure the protection of biological diversity and ecological balance. Our motto is to promote and encourage an environmental movement through a participatory democratic framework involving diverse social groups, and to assist them with ideas, information, and leadership for promoting a safe, sustainable, and toxic-free world. We conduct consultations, workshops and meetings with government agencies, relevant stakeholders, project partners, industrial associations, health professionals, multi sector group of people about the adverse effects of lead in paints and mercury in consumer products, dental amalgam