This booklet is the result of close collaboration between three agencies of the United Nations system: the Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Many colleagues in the three organizations rendered helpful advice and encouragement during the development of this booklet. Particular thanks go to the following individuals who provided valuable input:

Mansoor Ali (UNICEF), Adnan Amin (UNEP), Monika Blössner (WHO), Lizette Burgers (UNICEF), Carlos Corvalan (WHO), Carlos Dora (WHO), Hiremagalur Gopalan (UNEP), Jose Hueb (WHO), Eva Jespersen (UNICEF), Theresa Kilbane (UNICEF), Ken Legins (UNICEF), TV Luong (UNICEF), Anna-Maria Mooijman (UNICEF), Richard Morgan (UNICEF), Theodore Oben (UNEP), Annette Pruess (WHO), Eva Rehfuess (WHO), Dorothy Rozga (UNICEF), Dietrich Schwela (WHO), James Sniffen (UNEP), Hans Spruijt (UNICEF) and Vanessa Tobin (UNICEF).

In addition to the above, the following external experts reviewed the draft and made very useful contributions:

Dr. Lilian Corra (Chair, Asociacion Argentina de Medicos por el Medio Ambiente, Vice-President, International Society of Doctors for the Environment, Coordinating Committee Member, International Research and Information Network on Children’s Health, Environment and Safety); Dr. Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher (General Manager, Environmental Protection Authority, Ethiopia); Dr. Janusz Haluska (Head, Department of Health and Environment Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland); Dr. Peter van den Hazel, (Founder and International Coordinator, International Research and Information Network on Children’s Health, Environment and Safety, Chairman, Dutch Association of Environmental Medicine, Vice-President Europe, International Society of Doctors for the Environment); Karen Hopfl-Harris, (Legislative Director, Environment and Health Programs, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Washington D.C., USA); Dr. Irma R. Makalinao (Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of the Philippines College of Medicine); Dr. Sherif M. Shawky (Associate Professor, Environmental Chemistry and Biology, Environmental Health Department, Alexandria University, High Institute of Public Health, Egypt); and Susan T. West (Director, Environment and Health Programs, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Washington D.C., USA).

The book was developed by Maaike Jansen of UNEP, Jingjing Qian of UNICEF and environmental consultant Marisha Wojciechowska-Shibuya, with substantive contributions from Jenny Pronczuk of WHO. Patricia Lone and Christine Dinsmore edited the book.