Chemicals can be beneficial in many ways, supporting, for instance, agriculture and water purification. However, if they are not managed properly, they can be very harmful and have negative effects on both human health and the environment – affecting particularly the most vulnerable populations. In this context, are women and men exposed to the same risks? How is gender relevant when dealing with chemicals? If you want to learn more, register to the new free Online Module on Gender, Chemicals, and Waste!
The module has been launched at the side event “Integrating Gender into Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste”, held on 9 May 2019, in Geneva, Switzerland, during the 2019 meetings of the Conferences of the Parties (COPs) to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions.
This engaging learning resource, open to specialists, development practitioners and policy-makers working on chemicals and waste management, as well as anyone interested, is self-paced and takes around 1 hour to complete. It is divided into three sections:
1. Gender and Chemicals
2. Dimensions of Chemicals and Waste Management and the Gender Gap
3. Gender, Chemicals and Waste: A Framework for Action.
After completing the module, participants will be able to:
• Describe the relationship between gender, chemicals and waste.
• Identify key international commitments on gender equality and sound management of chemicals and waste.
• Explain how gender equality contributes to sound management of chemicals and waste.
• Provide examples of gender-responsive initiatives on chemicals and waste safety.
The module includes an interactive lesson, with videos, relevant statistics, case studies, exercises, key messages and references to additional resources, with the aim of providing a “one-stop-shop” of key information on this nexus. An offline version is also available for self-study or training purposes.
At the end, a quiz allows users to measure the achievement of the learning objectives and, if successful, receive a certificate of participation.
While self-standing, the module is part of the free e-learning course on the gender and environment that can be accessed on the UN CC:Learn e-learning platform. This course has been developed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), UNITAR/UN C:Learn, with valuable contributions from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), UN Women, UNDP, UN Environment and the Secretariats of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements that the GEF serves, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, among others.
