UNITAR/ILO Programme for Capacity Building to Implement the GHS

1. 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

2. Outline • Overview on UNITAR • International Responsibility on GHS Implementation • UNITAR/ILO GHS Programme • Resources • Conclusion

3. Overview on UNITAR

4. 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.”

5. 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

6. 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

7. International Responsibility on GHS Implementation

8. 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.”

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. UNITAR/ILO GHS Programme

15. 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

16. 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

17. UNITAR/ILO Approach Industrial Workplaces Transport Agriculture Consumer Products GHS Implementation Government Business/ Industry Public Interest/ Labour

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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)

21. 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)

22. 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)

23. Resources

24. 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

25. Resources

27. 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

29. Conclusion

30. 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

31. Thank you!