Why We Exist
The Gender & Chemicals Knowledge Platform is a central base for gender-specific knowledge on chemicals and pollution. It brings together practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and other actors to share data, research, and practical resources. Its mission is to raise awareness of gender-specific differences in chemical exposure, strengthen knowledge exchange, and empower actors across sectors to systematically integrate gender perspectives into chemicals management at all levels.
Building on this mission, the platform’s objectives focus on:
- Increased awareness and access to knowledge: Providing accessible information to strengthen awareness of gender-specific aspects in chemicals management.
- Systematic documentation of gender-specific differences: Compiling and sharing evidence on the differentiated impacts of chemical exposure, while identifying key knowledge gaps related to gender-specific exposure.
- Support for policy and regulation: Facilitating access to methods, tools, and gender mainstreaming approaches to support the development of more effective and equitable policies and regulatory frameworks.
- Capacity-building: Strengthening access to existing training opportunities that enable stakeholders to identify gender-specific risks, improve risk management, and develop appropriate prevention strategies.
- Support for networking and collaboration: Strengthening cooperation among researchers, health professionals, policymakers, NGOs, and women’s and youth organizations to strengthen the exchange of knowledge, resources, and strategies.
The Problem We Address
A Global Crisis with a Gender Dimension
Chemicals, waste, and pollution represent one of the most pressing global challenges of our time — comparable in scale and urgency to climate change and biodiversity loss. And like the climate and biodiversity crises, the global pollution crisis does not affect everyone equally.
While harmful chemical exposure impacts all genders, women and girls are disproportionately affected. Gender-diverse individuals and economically disadvantaged men – especially those from marginalized communities – are also at heightened risk, as noted in the 2024 report Gender and Hazardous Substances by the UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights.
Biological differences and social gender roles create unequal exposure risks: from cosmetics and household products to agriculture, mining, and informal waste processing, the gendered dimensions of chemical exposure are present across industries and throughout daily life. These disparities not only pose distinct health risks but also reinforce and deepen existing gender inequalities.
A Gap That Demands Action
International policy frameworks have begun to recognise this reality. Instruments such as the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the UN 2030 Agenda, the Global Framework on Chemicals, and the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm, and Minamata Conventions all acknowledge the need for gender-responsive approaches to chemicals management.
Despite this, progress has been slow and significant knowledge gaps remain. Gender- and sex-disaggregated data remains scarce, research is fragmented, and practical tools for integrating gender into chemicals policy and practice are difficult to find. Social and biological factors are still inadequately considered in chemicals science and management, leaving all genders — women and girls in particular — without sufficient protection from hazardous chemicals.
This is the gap the Gender & Chemicals Knowledge Platform was built to address. By bringing together evidence, tools, and best practices in one accessible place, the platform equips researchers, policymakers, advocates, and practitioners with what they need to understand and act on the gendered dimensions of chemical exposure — and to drive meaningful progress towards gender-responsive chemicals management at every level.
What the Platform Offers
The Gender & Chemicals Knowledge Platform brings together a curated collection of resources at the intersection of gender and chemicals, designed to support informed research, policy development, and advocacy. Users can explore and access:
- Research & Data — Scientific studies and reports documenting the gendered dimensions of chemical exposure and its health and environmental impacts
- Policy & Implementation — Gender Action Plans, policy briefs, international framework documents, resolutions, and guidance materials for integrating gender into chemicals management at the national and international level
- Training & Tools — Practical tools, fact sheets, best practices, and training materials to support gender-responsive action across sectors
All resources are fully searchable and filterable by topic, resource type, and several other categories, making it easy to find what is most relevant to your work — whether you are a researcher, policymaker, practitioner, or advocate (see How to search).