What to know first

Every year, approximately nine million people worldwide die as a result of exposure to toxic substances in air, water, and soil (Fuller et al., 2022). Alongside biodiversity loss and climate change, pollution is one of the three pillars of the triple planetary crisis – a fundamental threat to both human health and the natural environment.

As with the climate and biodiversity crises, the impacts of pollution are unevenly distributed. Women and girls, in particular, bear a disproportionate burden. A combination of economic, social, and physiological factors increases their exposure and vulnerability to harmful substances – whether as consumers, in the home, or at work. Gender-diverse individuals and economically disadvantaged men – especially those from marginalized communities – are also at heightened risk (UN Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, 2024). Despite this, significant knowledge gaps remain. Gender- and sex-disaggregated data on chemical exposure are limited, and further research is urgently needed.

The importance of gender considerations is increasingly recognized in chemicals and waste policies. International agreements such as the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and the Global Framework on Chemicals have developed, or are currently developing, Gender Action Plans. This creates a clear mandate for policymakers at the national level, as well as for all relevant stakeholders across sectors – including science, industry, and civil society – to implement gender-responsive approaches at all levels of chemicals management.

Yet, women’s perspectives, skills, and needs are still too often overlooked in chemicals management and decision-making. Including these perspectives through a gender-responsive approach and empowering women and girls in chemistry is essential to create fair and effective solutions to the pollution crisis.