IPEN women celebrate International Women's Day!
09.03.2026 12:12
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IPEN women celebrate International Women's Day!
Today on International Women's Day, hear from Ana Paula Souza of the UN High Commission for Human Rights speaking on Human Rights, Chemicals and Women's Health.
The cosmetics target women and put their health, reproductive well-being, and households at risk.
Mercury in cosmetics can cause serious neurological damage, kidney problems and skin disorders, and exposure can also harm infants through pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Personal Care Insights reports that mercury-containing skin-lightening creams continue to be sold in global markets despite international bans and growing health warnings: www.personalcareinsights.com/news/mercury...
EcoWaste Coalition is raising alarms about mercury-containing cosmetics.
These chemicals are not just additives; they may be migrating from the headphones into our body,” said Karolína Brabcová, chemical expert at Arnika, part of the ToxFree LIFE for All project.
Researchers detected BPA in 98% of samples.
Damien Gayle at The Guardian reports that the ToxFree LIFE for All project found hazardous chemicals in every pair of headphones tested, including bisphenols, phthalates, and chlorinated paraffins linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, and reproductive harm: www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
The article explains that hazardous pesticides that are restricted or banned in the Global North continue to be manufactured and exported to Africa, a toxic double-standard that profits Northern companies while poisoning African people.
Megan Hyslop reports in Daily Maverick on the “slow violence” of chronic pesticide exposure and its invisible toll on children’s health in South Africa, particularly in farming and rural communities: www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
Women are disproportionately impacted by toxic chemicals. This webinar will bring together human rights and youth leaders to reflect on these connections, share community experiences from Indonesia, and discuss practical ways to strengthen gender-responsive action in chemicals and waste governance.
Promotional graphic from IPEN (International Pollutants Elimination Network) titled “Women, Chemicals and Human Rights: Integrating Justice into Chemicals Governance.” The image lists the event date as March 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM CET on Zoom, and names speakers Ana Paula Souza of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Aeshnina Azzahra Aqilani, River Warrior from Indonesia. Two circular headshots appear on the right, and a QR code is shown in the bottom corner.
Join us this Friday, 6 March, for a webinar, Women, Chemicals & Human Rights: Integrating Justice into Chemical Governance.
RSVP here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
The documents suggest industry pressure and political considerations have influenced the pace and scope of proposed PFAS rules, even as scientific evidence links exposure to cancer, immune suppression, and developmental harms.
A report from NOTUS, based on newly obtained FOIA records, reveals internal tensions at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over how aggressively to regulate PFAS, “forever chemicals.” www.notus.org/climate-envi...
NWONewsWatch shares that Judy Da Silva, a Grassy Narrows Elder who suffers from mercury contamination, spoke with an Indigenous network, highlighting the decades-long health, cultural, and environmental impacts of toxic pollution in the community.
www.nwonewswatch.com/local-news/g...
Contemporary Pediatrics reports that a new study has identified dozens more PFAS “forever chemicals” in umbilical cord blood than previously detected, highlighting widespread prenatal exposure. www.contemporarypediatrics.com/view/study-f...
Last year, a new study revealed alarming levels of toxic chemicals in free-range eggs across five continents: ipen.org/news/new-stu...
Emma Stanley at BBC News reports that elevated levels of PFAS “forever chemicals” were found in eggs from domestic poultry kept near a former ICI chemical plant in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
"The sustainability aspects of the energy transition & critical mineral supply chains are not just about the minerals being extracted, but about the lives protected in the process." - @ismawati17.bsky.social
Women are disproportionately impacted by toxic chemicals. Next Friday, join @toxicsfree.bsky.social for a webinar on the importance of including women in decision-making when it comes to toxic chemical regulation. #EnvironmentalJustice Register: www-tinyurl.com/07625163
Plastic pellets from petchemi facilities continue to pollute our waterways. Scientists & experts call for International Maritime Law to recognize plastic pellets as hazardous to the marine environment. @toxicsfree.bsky.social #EnvironmentalJustice ipen.org/news/scienti...
Join @acat-akaction.bsky.social and CHE-AK for their next webinar on Thursday, February 26, at 10am AKST/ 2pm EST/ 8pm CET.
Interlinkages Among Plastics, Chemicals, and Climate Change.
RSVP here: www.akaction.org/webinars/202...
The speakers are Dr. Leonardo Trasande and Rosemary Ahtuangaruak.
Graphic promoting a global webinar titled “Activity Options for Action Plans on Cross-Cutting Issues of Specific Stockholm Convention Articles.” Text reads: “24 February 2026, Online (Zoom), 14:00–16:00 (CET, GMT +1)” and “Register here: bit.ly/ActionPlans4,” hosted by Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP) under a GEF-funded and UNEP-led project, with GEF, UNEP, and GGKP logos displayed. The background image shows tall glass office buildings viewed from below, reflecting warm orange light against a gray sky.
On Feb 24, IPEN's Science Advisor and our Co-Chair will speak at a Stockholm Convention webinar focused on the Stockholm Convention and how countries can develop and implement action plans to eliminate health threats from POPs.
Learn more and RSVP here: zoom.us/webinar/regi...
A recent report from GRID-Arendal and IPEN finds that three major types of plastic waste that are mostly exempt from global transparency rules pose significant threats to the environment and human health.
Learn more: stoppoisonplastic.org/blog/plastic...
IPEN Science Advisor Dr. Therese Karlsson co-authored a commentary documenting decades of research showing the threats to ocean environments posed by plastics commonly spilled during shipping. The piece calls for stronger global rules to prevent plastic spills.
Read more: ipen.org/news/scienti...
Cover of an IPEN report titled “Mercury Exposure of Women in Two Latin American Gold Mining Countries,” with the subtitle noting elevated mercury levels among women where mercury is used in gold mining and contaminates the food chain. The design includes photos of a riverbank gold mining site, a waterway near mining areas, and gloved hands handling a sealed sample bag, with the date October 2025 displayed. The IPEN logo appears at the bottom with the tagline “for a toxics-free future.”
Hair samples collected by Indigenous Peoples in Peru and Nicaragua, in communities near artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) operations, show high levels of mercury.
Download the report here: ipen.org/documents/me...
Screenshot of an IPEN webpage titled “Global Actions to End Toxic Plastics,” featuring an interactive world map with clustered markers showing the number of reports by country and region. A left sidebar labeled “Find Reports” includes filters for country, type of publications, IPEN POs, external partners, report tags, chemicals highlighted, and year, along with a button reading “View 147 Reports.” The map displays numbered circles across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, with options at the top to toggle between country and region views.
This map highlights original science, country-based data, and policy proposals to end the health and environmental threats from plastics.
Visit: ipen-plastic-map.vercel.app
150+ publications and reports from more than 85 countries are visualized in the map.
IPEN Science Advisor Sara Brosché spoke about the importance of civil society participation in chemical policy development at the Chemicals and Waste Negotiations Briefing 2026 webinar hosted by the @genevaenvironmentnetwork.org
Watch the entire thing here: www.youtube.com/live/Cna4yTm...
Underscoring the planetary pollution crisis we are in, Sara Brosché of @toxicsfree.bsky.social highlights multisectoral & multistakeholder engagement as vital, stressing the need to move beyond business-as-usual, maximize agreements, ensure effective decision-making & engage in alternatives.
As a member of the NGO coalition @toxicsfree.bsky.social, we joined the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution #ISP-CWP to advocate for an independent, transparent, and conflict-free panel that truly responds to communities vulnerable to toxic pollution
This capacity-building event is organized by IPEN and the Wonjin Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health (WIOEH). It is intended for IPEN Participating Organizations (POs) in the region and beyond.
Graphic promoting a webinar titled “Turning Bio-Monitoring Knowledge into Action: Training and Guidelines for IPEN POs in Southeast and East Asia and Beyond,” described as training for advocacy, policy, and community action. The left side lists topics including an introduction to human biomonitoring, chemicals and biomarkers, sampling and analysis methods, and case studies, with IPEN and Wonjin Institute logos displayed. The right side includes the date and time—February 12, 2026, 3:30–5:30 PM KST / 2:30–4:30 PM Manila time—and a QR code to scan for registration.
IPEN is hosting a webinar, "Turning Bio-Monitoring Knowledge into Action: Training and Guidelines for IPEN POs in Southeast and East Asia and Beyond."
Date: February 12, 2026
Time: 3:30–5:30 PM KST | 2:30–4:30 PM Manila Time
RSVP here: tinyurl.com/BioMonitorin...
