Fourth meeting of the Eliminating Mercury Skin Lightening Products project stakeholders group

The fourth meeting of the Eliminating Mercury Skin Lightening Products project stakeholders group took place online on Thursday 18 September 2025.

Under the theme From Perception to Prevention: Tackling Skin Bleaching Demand Locally and Globally, the event provided an opportunity to share updates and lessons learned from the GEF project on Eliminating Mercury Skin Lightening Products, and hear from the stakeholders regarding their experience. 

Agenda

• 14:00 Opening - Elena Lymberidi, European Environmental Bureau, UNEP GMP Products Area Co-lead
• 14:05 Scene setting: WHO Behavioral Insights research and tools - Ammaarah Martinus, Elena Altieri, WHO
• 14:15 Updates from the GEF project - Key takeaways from national efforts to understand and reduce demand for skin-lightening products through behavioral research, national communication campaigns, and public health interventions - Chalani Rubesinghe, Sri Lanka; Alecia Hamilton Campbell, Jamaica; Serge Molly Allo’o Allo’o, Dr. Inoua, Gabon
• 14:45 Global Communication Campaign - Malgorzata Stylo, UNEP/ Secretariat of the Global Mercury Partnership 
• 14:55 National Demand Reduction Strategies for Mercury-added Skin Lightening Products - Michael Bender, Zero Mercury Working Group
• 15:15 Community-based voices and experience -Colorism: A key player in influencing the use of mercury containing SLP’s amongst Nigerian- Zainab Bashir Yau, Nigeria - Asali project
• 15:30 Q&A
• 15:45 Looking ahead to COP6, expectations, opportunities - Eisaku Toda, Minamata Secretariat
• 15:55 Closing - Tahlia Ali Shah, BRI