Chemicals road map and workbook

Overview

The Seventieth World Health Assembly approved the Road map (link under Quick links) to enhance health sector engagement in the strategic approach to international chemicals management towards the 2020 goal and beyond. The WHO Secretariat has developed a workbook that offers a structured way to assist Member States to work through the road map, choose priorities and plan activities.

One of the actions in the Chemicals road map mandates the Secretariat to establish a global chemicals and health network, with links to existing subregional, regional and international networks, to facilitate health sector implementation of the road map. Over 70 Member States have joined the  WHO Global Chemicals and Health Network with forty-one participating Member States attending the inaugural meeting of the Network held 5-8 November, 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Strategic Approach to Chemicals Management (SAICM) is a policy framework to guide efforts to achieve the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation goal that by 2020, chemicals will be produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on human health and the environment. As the leading international authority on health issues, including the human-health aspects of the sound management of chemicals, WHO plays an important role in SAICM and the implementation of SAICM as well as the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals  (IOMC) .

WHO consulted with health sector stakeholders about the attention needed in future to the identified priorities and activities as well as any additional priorities and activities. A detailed report of this input was submitted to the fourth session of the International Conference, including updated health sector priorities.

For background on the development of the road map and health sector engagement in the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management:

• WHA70/36
  The role of the health sector in the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management towards the 2020 goal and beyond: Report by the Secretariat

• Resolution WHA 69.4
  The role of the health sector in the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management towards the 2020 goal and beyond

• Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM): Health sector focus