UNEP International Environmental Technology Centre (UNEP-IETC) has been actively engaged in raising awareness of gender issues in waste management. As part of its efforts, UNEP-IETC organized a webinar on how to mainstream gender into national waste management policy on 28 November 2023.
Waste management, though often perceived as gender-neutral, is influenced by deep-rooted gender inequalities and gender roles. Women as primary users and waste workers in the sector, possess valuable knowledge and expertise. Integrating gender perspectives and empowering women in waste management can enhance efficiency and sustainability of waste management.
Yet, existing waste management policies and practices are often gender blind, failing to address specific needs and issues related to gender dynamics at each level of policy and programme development and implementation.
This webinar was organized with the aim to support countries, including policy makers and other stakeholders such as experts and practitioners, to better understand the nexus between waste and gender and how to mainstream gender into their national waste management policy. Speakers from four different countries from Asia, Latin America and SIDS shared experiences and lessons learnt on how to incorporate gender dimensions into national waste management policy.
This webinar is a sequel to the previous webinar on gender and waste, organized in September 2022 (link).
(1) Moderator
Takehiro Nakamura, Head, International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC), UNEP
(2) Speakers from four countries
Nepal
Karuna Adhikaree, Consultant, LEAD Nepal
Jamaica
Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, Chief Executive Officer, Jamaica Environment Trust
Uruguay
Chiara Fioretto, Consultant, Ministry of Environment, Uruguay
Virginia Chiesa, Economist, Ministry of Environment, Uruguay
Bhutan
Sachin Limbu, Senior Environment Officer, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Bhutan
(3) Topics covered
- How are gender issues addressed in national waste management policies/strategies/action plans?
- What role did your organization (or other key stakeholders) play in mainstreaming gender into national waste management policies/strategies/action plans?
- What were the key successful factors and challenges in mainstreaming gender into national policies/strategies/action plans?
(4) Summary
Speakers from four countries shared their experiences and lessons on mainstreaming gender into national waste management policy.
The collection of gender-disaggregated data in the waste sector was stressed as one of the first steps toward an evidence-based gender-responsive waste management policy. The speakers also talked about the importance of making alliances with key agencies in gender equality issues, as well as the necessity of awareness raising and capacity building of various stakeholders through customized training programs. Monitoring and evaluation were also highlighted.
During the Q&A, speakers answered two questions on women's roles in the informal waste sector and the circular economy approach of plastic waste recycling. During the webinar, UNEP-IETC’s recent activities on gender and waste, as well as the key aspects of gender and waste, were also shared by the gender focal point, Junko Fujioka (Presentation slides).
UNEP-IETC will continue to be active on issues of waste management and gender, raising awareness on gender issues through various tools such as reports and videos and encouraging dialogues among different stakeholders, like this webinar.
UNEP-IETC’s activities on waste and gender are summarized here.
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