320 likes | 520 Views
UNITAR/ILO Programme for Capacity Building to Implement the GHS. Mehdia Siari UNITAR. GHS Review Conference for Southeast Asia 21-23 May 2013 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Outline. Overview on UNITAR International Responsibility on GHS Implementation UNITAR/ILO GHS Programme Resources
E N D
UNITAR/ILO Programme for Capacity Building to Implement the GHS Mehdia Siari UNITAR GHS Review Conference for Southeast Asia 21-23 May 2013 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Outline • Overview on UNITAR • International Responsibility on GHS Implementation • UNITAR/ILO GHS Programme • Resources • Conclusion
Overview on UNITAR UNITAR – “Knowledge to Lead” • established in 1965 – autonomous body in the UN system • original focus: UN institutional issues, peace and security issues, and economic and social issues • current training focus around: environment; governance; peace, security and diplomacy; and research Mission Statement • “To deliver innovative training and conduct research on knowledge systems to develop the capacity of beneficiaries.”
Overview on UNITAR UNITAR CWM Mission • To provide legal, institutional and technical support to governments and stakeholders to develop sustainable capacity for managing dangerous chemicals and wastes • Project activities take place within the framework of implementing international agreementsaimed at protecting human health and the environment, while ensuring sustainable industrial development and facilitating trade of chemicals • Training is the main tool
Overview on UNITAR • Active at national, regional and international levels • Developing countries, transition countries, least developed countries special focus (over 100 countries) • Main focus is the delivery of training/capacity development assistance at the national level, to assist countries to meet the huge number of chemicals-related challenges they face • UNITAR CWM’s work relates directly to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals
Development of the GHS • International mandate was adopted in the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development: “A globally harmonised hazard classification and compatible labelling system, including material safety data sheets and easily understandable symbols, should be available, if feasible, by the year 2000.”
Development of the GHS • Agenda 21 of the UNCED agreements included the mandate, and instructed the developers to build on existing systems • The process ultimately included numerous countries, multiple international organizations, and many stakeholder representatives • The GHS was developed based on consensus among the participants
What is the GHS based on? • A meeting of experts convened by the ILO identified the following existing systems as the primary basis for the GHS: • Requirements of systems in the United States for the workplace, consumers and pesticides • Requirements of Canada for the workplace, consumers and pesticides • European Union directives for classification and labelling of substances and preparations • The United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods
Responsibility for GHS Implementation • Internationally, the UN Subcommittee of Experts on the GHS is responsible for the maintenance, updating and promotion of the GHS: • Over 30 countries have jointed the S/C • Observer countries and stakeholders also participate
International organization responsibilities • International Labor Organization (ILO): Secretariat for the Coordinating Group and the hazard communication work group • Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): Secretariat for health and environmental hazard criteria, including mixtures • United Nations’ Subcommittee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods: Secretariat for physical hazard criteria
Responsibility for implementing the GHS • The type of international legal instrument the GHS is considered to be is a “non-mandatory recommendation” • The GHS provisions become mandatory in countries or regions that adopt the GHS • Overseeing national or regional implementation is the responsibility of the competent authorities that adopt the GHS provisions. There is no international body that monitors implementation for compliance
Role of UNITAR & ILO in GHS implementation • UNITAR and ILO are the designated focal points for capacity building in the UN ECOSOC Subcommittee of Experts on the GHS (SCEGHS). • Provide: • Educational, awareness-raising, resource and training materials regarding the GHS • Guidance on the development of national GHS implementation strategies, legislation, situation/gap analyses, chemical hazards, labelling, safety data sheets (SDS) • Guidance on related support measures such as comprehensibility testing
UNITAR/ILO GHS activities Four programme areas: • support of GHS capacity development at the regional and sub-regional levels • support of GHS capacity development at the national level • development of GHS awareness raising, guidance and training materials • supporting activities and services for GHS capacity development
UNITAR/ILO Approach Industrial Workplaces Transport Agriculture Consumer Products GHS Implementation Government Business/ Industry Public Interest/ Labour
UNITAR/ILO Project Strategy • Project Coordinating Agency • National GHS Implementation Committee • Lead agencies for four sectors • Lead organizations for business and industry, and public interest and labour • Subcommittees and task forces, as appropriate • Division of responsibilities, activities, timeframes and budgets
New/Current National Activities • China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines (2010-13) – supported by EU • Barbados, Zambia, The Gambia, Moldova (2010-13) - supported by SAICM QSPTF • Congo, Chile (2011-2013) Bolivia, Togo, Haiti, DRC, Jamaica, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Columbia, Guatemala (2012-14) – supported by SAICM QSPTF
Previous National Level Activities • Vietnam, Uruguay, Jamaica (2008-09) • Laos, Cambodia (2006-08) • Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand (2005-07) • The Gambia, Nigeria, Senegal (2004-2006) • Sri Lanka, South Africa, Zambia (2001-2003)
Regional Activities • Barbados, Zambia, The Gambia, Congo (2010-12) – supported by SAICM QSPTF • PR China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, The Philippines (2010-12) – supported by EU China/East and Central Asia (2010) CEE/CA (2006-12) Arab Region (2006) ECOWAS (2008) ASEAN (2005-7-13) South America (2004) SADC (2003)
WSSD Global GHS Partnership • Launched by UNITAR, ILO, and OECD in 2002 • Strengthen capacities at all levels and sectors -- in particular in developing countries • “WSSD Partnerships”: to enable all stakeholders to make a concrete contribution to the outcomes of the WSSD • Meetings of the Partners (2003, 2007)
Resources • Guidance Document on “Developing a National GHS Implementation Strategy” • Understanding the GHS, The Companion Guide to the GHS Purple Book • GHS Training courses (Basic & Advanced) • E-learning • Regional Workshops • Annual Reports (2002-2010) • GHS Capacity Building Library • Comprehensibility Testing Website • Roster of Experts • Events Page • WSSD Global GHS Partnership
Internet Resources • UNITAR/ILO GHS Capacity Building Programme: http://www.unitar.org/cwm/ghs/index.html • WSSD GHS Partnership: http://www2.unitar.org/cwm/ghs_partnership/index.htm • UNSCEGHS Homepage: www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_welcome_e.html
Partnership achivments 2002- 2012 • 94 beneficiary countries • 11 regional workshops • Over 85 different awareness-raising materials developed and translated into national and local languages, with more than 65,000 units distributed • Eight peer-reviewed guidance documents and trainingpackages produced and translated into multiple languages • More than 8,000 trained beneficiaries • Over US$8 million mobilized