The fifth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Water and Health was organized by the Government of Serbia, with support of the UNECE and WHO Regional Office for Europe joint secretariat.

During the high-level meeting, the achievements were highlighted, challenges reflected and areas for action identified by taking into account the progress achieved in the Protocol’s implementation. In addition, discussions were held about the support of the pan-European countries in improving access to safe water and sanitation and achieving water and health – related Sustainable Development Goals.

During the side event “10 years of achievements in improving governance for water and health under the European Union Water Initiative National Policy Dialogues addressing challenges through setting national targets under the Protocol to produce benefits for citizens” on 19 November, Ms. Emma Anakhasyan from the AWHHE NGO made a statement about the public participation in the target setting and revision process in Armenia (http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/documents/2019/WAT/11Nov_19-21_MOP5PWH/Side_Events/SideEvent01_ENG_EUWI_NPD_2019_11_18.pdf).

The Armenian experience on equitable access to water and sanitation in the context of the Protocol on Water and Health was presented by Ms. Emma Anakhasyan during the side event “Because we all count: ensuring equitable access to water and sanitation” on 20 November (http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/documents/2019/WAT/11Nov_19-21_MOP5PWH/Side_Events/SideEvent05_Equitable_Access_CNwithprogramme_2019_11_13.pdf). She introduced the 2018-2020 Action Plan Ensuring Equitable Access to Water and Sanitation and its implementation within the following two projects:

• EUWI+ programme, where the water legislative framework was analyzed and the legislative barriers to ensure equitable access to water and sanitation were identified and the package of changes to the Water Code was submitted to the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia.
• UNDEF project on “Enabling Women to Participate in Sustainable Water Management in Armenia”, where (a) the impact of current drinking water and sanitation tariffs on vulnerable and marginalized groups was assessed; and (b) the current tariff compensation mechanism for ensuring equitable access to water supply and sanitation for vulnerable and marginalized groups has been revised.

Ms. Emma Anakhasyan did the third statement during the panel on Equitable access to water and sanitation: translating the human right to water and sanitation into practice. It was stated that cooperation with other UN agencies, such as UNDEF, has added value in implementing the provisions of the Protocol on Water and Health.  

International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week is an initiative of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint, a voluntary partnership formed by UN Environment and the World Health Organization to prevent exposure to lead, by promoting the phase-out of paints containing lead.

International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week takes place every year during the last week of October. The purpose of the campaign week is to raise awareness of the need for action to address the human health effects of exposure to lead, especially in relation to children. A particular focus of the campaign week is to urge further action by governments, industry and consumers to eliminate lead paint.

On the eve of the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action, which begins this year on October 20, two countries, Israel and Bangladesh, have passed laws limiting the lead content in paint at 90 ppm. Thus, the total number of countries regulating the production, import and sale of lead-containing paints has reached seventy-three.

Israel has set a limit of 90 ppm for all types of paints. Bangladesh has passed a law restricting lead content only in decorative paints, in particular for painting internal and external surfaces in homes, schools, public and commercial premises, as well as toys, furniture and playgrounds.

The most effective way to prevent the use of lead in paints is to enact national laws and legally binding standards prohibiting the use of lead additives in paints. At a minimum, countries should stop the production, import and sale of household decorative lead paints and consider limiting lead in all types of paints.

Lead-based paint is one of the sources of exposure to lead in children around the world. This issue has been identified as an emerging policy issue of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). Lead poisoning causes mental retardation in approximately 600,000 children a year and can have health consequences throughout life.

Source: https://www.who.int/ipcs/lead_campaign/en/ http://sdg.iisd.org/news/israel-bangladesh-adopt-legislation-to-limit-lead-in-paint/

https://www.who.int/ipcs/lead_campaign/ru/

In the framework of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), AWHHE representative participated in the third meeting of the intersessional process for SAICM and the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020 from 1 to 4 October in Bangkok, Thailand.

Below is summary of the meeting outcome by the SAICM Secretariat:

Outcomes of IP3

The meeting was structured around four important thematic areas: targets, milestones and indicators; institutional arrangements; mechanisms to support implementation; and financial considerations. As the week progressed, participants made a number of important advances in each area which will serve as an important contribution towards the preparation of recommendations on the Strategic Approach and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste beyond 2020 for consideration at ICCM5.

We would like to highlight a number of key outcomes from the meeting:

•  The secretariat was requested to consolidate the outputs of IP3 into a draft for deliberation at the fourth meeting of the intersessional process (IP4), under the guidance of the IP co-chairs and in consultation with the ICCM5 Bureau.
•  The Government of Germany offered to host a special workshop before IP4 to discuss a possible enhanced enabling framework for beyond 2020.
•  A technical working group on targets, milestones and indicators was established to support further work in this area between now and IP4. Further details on this are forthcoming.
•  The secretariat was requested to prepare proposals for submission to IP4 for a potential name of the future instrument.

 In-Session documentation and information is available for all at the following link:

http://saicm.org/Beyond2020/IntersessionalProcess/ThirdIntersessionalmeeting/Insessiondocuments/tabid/8141/language/en-US/Default.aspx  

Meeting coverage by the Earth Negotiations Bulletin: http://enb.iisd.org/chemical/saicm/iccm5/ip3/about.html  

(Press Release)

Yerevan, 8 October 2019. The “Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment” NGO (AWHHE) launched “Encouraging young specialists to power the agri-food value chains and building sustainable business models” project jointly with the University of Chile, Energy Center (CE-FCFM). It is funded through the Sustainable Lifestyles and Education (SLE) programme of the One Planet Network. The SLE programme is co-led by the Ministry of Environment of Japan and the Government of Sweden, represented by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) respectively. The project was selected through an open call for proposals for Sustainable Lifestyles and Education Programme with the financial support of the Government of Japan.

The project will contribute to the SLE programme by developing and replicating sustainable lifestyles in the academic and economic areas. In the academic area, the project will develop the Sustainable Rural Internship/Academic Program in cooperation with the Institute of Energy and Electrical Engineering of the National Polytechnic University of Armenia. The micropilot to be conducted in Solak community under this project will develop Sustainable Business Models for agri-food value chains. “The university students will work jointly with the Solak community to seek and introduce various clean energy solutions along the agri-food chains that are most popular among the Solak farmers,” said Dr. Elena Manvelyan, President of the Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment NGO.

“The project will develop sustainable solutions for communities and young entrepreneurs, through the use of renewable and clean resources in small scale, adding value to the local agri-food production” said Dr. Marcelo Matus, Senior Researcher of the Energy Center in the University of Chile, and added: “The partnership between the university and the community will allow empowering young professionals and local agri-food producers to adopt sustainable lifestyles.”

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Elena Manvelyan, President of the Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment NGO, office@awhhe.am

On September 24, 2019, at the Aram Khachaturian House-Museum, the “Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment” NGO celebrated the 20^th anniversary of its foundation. Representatives of the Ministries of the Republic of Armenia, international organizations in Armenia, NGOs and foreign guests attended the event. During the event, Aram Asatryan (violin), Yana Daryan (viola), Hasmik Ter-Antonyan (piano) and Gohar Nersisyan (vocal) performed the works of world-famous composers.

http://old.awhhe.am/anniversary20/anniversary20-eng.pptx

http://old.awhhe.am/anniversary20/anniversary20-outcome-eng.pptx

The 24th World Water Week was held from 25 to 30 August 2019 in Stockholm, organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). This year’s World Water Week addressed the topic: Water for society, including all.
GWP, SIWI, UNICEF and UNECE organized the session “How to increase impact of WASH sector diagnosis tools” This event presented a unique opportunity to bring together practitioners, designers, and donors to co-explore solutions for enhanced implementation of WASH services. In a live chat show style debate, speakers presented approaches and processes needed to ensure WASH sector tools achieve success in planning, inclusive access, increased water governance, and enhanced climate resilience from their country perspectives.
The Armenian experience in drafting legislative changes on equitable access to water and sanitation supported by EU funded EUWI+ programme was showcased! The presentation was made by Ms. Emma Anakhasyan, Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment” NGO. In the meantime, more information on the event is available via this link: https://programme.worldwaterweek.org/event/8482-how-to-increase-the-impact-of-wash-sector-diagnosis-tools

Представитель AWHHE приняла участие в двухдневом семинаре Международной сети НПО по ликвидации загрязнителей ( IPEN), который завершился в Волгограде 20августа 2019 года. Семинар проводили IPEN, “Эко-Согласие” – координационный центр IPEN в регионе Восточной Европы, Кавказа и Центральной Азии (ВЕКЦА) и Информационный центр “Волгоград-Экопресс”.

Обсуждалась работа организаций – членов IPEN и общественных организаций Волгограда, Волжского, Ростова, Саратова, Краснодара, занимающихся решением сложных задач безопасного обращения с отходами, доступом к экологической информации, участием общественности в принятии экологически значимых решений. Была представлена работа IPEN на международном уровне, а также конкретные проекты организаций – членов сети в разных странах и их участие в глобальных кампаниях IPEN.

Участники встречи рассмотрели новые тенденции в работе общественных организаций ВЕКЦА, общие и специфические проблемы, с которыми сталкиваются НПО региона. В частности, внимание было уделено важности совместной работы общественных организаций для решения проблем безопасной утилизации отходов, включая пластиковые отходы и отходы 1-2 классов опасности.

Особое внимание было уделено участию НПО в выполнении четырех химических конвенций, а именно: Стокгольмской, Базельской, Роттердамской и Минаматской. Обсуждались проблемы реализации Конвенций в странах ВЕКЦА, а именно, в Армении, Украине, Кыргызстане и России. Представители НПО рассказали об итогах выполнения проектов, направленных на мониторинг содержания ртути в организме человека и в рыбе. Подчеркивалась актуальность мониторинга источников ртутного загрязнения и последствий воздействия ртути на здоровье людей. 

Участники семинара обсудили также вопросы воздействия токсичных химических веществ на здоровье женщин и причины, по которым эта проблема становится все более актуальной. Большой интерес вызывала презентация “Гендерная экспертиза проектов нормативных правовых актов в области химической безопасности”, с которой выступила представитель НПО Кыргызстана “Независимая экологическая экспертиза”. Впервые был поднят вопрос о важности проведения такой экспертизы, даны советы по ее выполнению силами общественных организаций. 

Во второй день семинара была проведена экскурсия в Центр Экологического контроля, действующего в Волгограде. Центр помогает осуществлять общественный контроль экологической ситуации в Волгограде и других городах России, оказывает экологические консультации, ведет экспертную работу. Практически ежедневно в Центр обращаются жители Волгограда, которые жалуются на загрязнение воздуха, вызванного работой нефтехимических предприятий Лукойл и Каустик. Благодаря данным, полученным в лаборатории Центра, жители могут аргументировать свои жалобы и обращаться в администрацию компаний и города с требованиями принять срочные меры по недопущению токсичных выбросов.

По результатам дискуссии на семинаре принято решение подготовить Платформу для создания безопасной окружающей среды, представляющую собой рекомендации НПО по ключевым вопросам обеспечения химической безопасности. По мнению участников семинара, в действующем химическом законодательстве стран ВЕКЦА необходима фундаментальная реформа для защиты людей и, в первую очередь, наиболее уязвимых групп населения, а именно, детей, женщин, пожилых, инвалидов, рабочих. В качестве первоочередной задачи следует принять меры по поэтапному отказу от наиболее опасных химических веществ, разработке безопасных альтернатив, защите сообществ с высокой степенью риска и обеспечению того, чтобы лица, ответственные за создание и использование опасных химических веществ, несли полную финансовую ответственность за устранение ущерба здоровью людей и окружающей среде.

Кроме того, участники семинара решили подготовить Заявление НПО о необходимости принятия срочных мер по прекращению производства, импорта и использования глифосата. В частности, НПО рекомендуют:

1. Разработать поэтапный план полного отказа от глифосата в странах ВЕКЦА,как на бытовом уровне, так и для сельского хозяйства.

2. Запретить в странах региона импорт и продажу глифосата и содержащих его препаратов;

3. Проводить мониторинг импортируемых подобных химических препаратов; Запретить производство глифосата на территории стран ВЕКЦА, как опаснейшего химического яда, который может вызвать изменения в организме человека, не совместимые с жизнью;

4. Продолжать дальнейшее исследование вредного воздействия глифосата – в частности, на эндокринную систему человека;

5.  Использовать другие меры для уничтожения сорняков на основе менее токсичных препаратов, а также агроэкологии и традиционных знаний, включая косьбу, вспашку и чередование культур;

6. Проводить информационный кампании и акции, направленные на снижение применения глифосата и глифосат содержащих препаратов в регионе.

Все презентации, сделанные во время семинара, размещены на сайте “Эко-Согласия” по адресу:

http://www.ecoaccord.org/pop/index.htm