The products we consume, our lifestyle and workplace can potentially expose us to harmful chemicals. However, women, men, diverse genders, and children are affected differently by this exposure and do not react the same way to the impacts.
In their latest report “Genderjust Chemicals Policy – Together for a toxic-free future”, EDC-Free Europe partners Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF) Germany and the Women’s Environmental Network (Wen.) explore the biological differences, social gender roles and gender specific division of tasks or occupational roles, making the link between the vulnerability of girls, women and pregnant women and their exposure to harmful substances, such as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs).
The report also presents a set of comprehensive political demands to guarantee better protection against hazardous substances, calling for a gender-differentiated view into the topic of harmful chemicals and chemicals policy. These include:
- Strengthening the rights of women, inter* and trans*, especially their rights to political participation, in all aspects of decision-making, chemical production, use and disposal.
- Consideration for gender aspects in risk assessments and integration into national, European and global frameworks for chemicals and existing support programmes and funding allocation.
- In addition to robust regulations banning harmful chemicals from everyday consumer products, proactive education from the government on harmful chemicals in everyday life, especially for young people, pregnant women and young parents is urgently required.
Read the full report here.
Take this opportunity to also check out WECF Germany’s background paper, in which they provide information easy to understand on why a gender perspective in chemicals management and chemicals policy is essential so that we are all better protected from harmful chemicals.
