Summary

In the present thematic report to the General Assembly, submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 54/10, the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, Marcos Orellana, elaborates on the State’s duty to prevent hazardous substances and waste from generating or deepening gendered injustices, especially against women and girls, gender-diverse persons and poor men, and especially when they are from marginalized communities.

Because of weak State regulation, the generation and release of large amounts of hazardous chemicals, often originating from the petrochemical, extractive and agricultural industries, is causing serious adverse impacts on human rights. Resulting gender- and sex-related health harms from exposure to hazardous substances include infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth or low birthweight, cancers and metabolic disorders across society, with grave implications for the rights to health, to family life, to physical and mental integrity and to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

Many women and girls are especially affected by toxic exposures for biological reasons but also because they do more caregiving work. Governments should better resource maternal and other reproductive health services using a reproductive justice framework and improve social and environmental determinants of health.