Marcos Orellana, the United Nations special rapporteur on toxic substances and human rights, called on nations to address gender injustices resulting from exposure to hazardous substances and waste, which disproportionately affect women, girls and marginalized groups. Presenting his latest report to the United Nations General Assembly, Orellana stressed the need for stricter national and international regulations to combat the devastating impact of toxic chemicals on human rights, particularly on health reproductive.

Orellana highlighted that the petrochemical, extractive and agricultural industries are major contributors to releases of hazardous substances, leading to serious health risks for women and girls due to both biological vulnerabilities and societal factors. He stressed that reproductive health is particularly sensitive to toxic exposures, warning of serious consequences such as infertility, miscarriages, cancers, metabolic disorders and low birth weight.

The Special Rapporteur highlighted that toxic exposures during pregnancy not only harm the individual and the fetus, but can also have intergenerational impacts, threatening the health of future generations. Orellana called for a reproductive justice approach to solving this problem, linking reproductive rights to social, racial and economic inequalities that exacerbate health disparities.

Orellana’s report also criticizes the practice of shifting responsibility for avoiding toxic exposure to vulnerable groups, who often lack access to adequate information and resources. He urged governments to strengthen regulations preventing harmful chemicals from entering the environment and affecting human health. Without strong legal protections and preventative measures, he warned, the global toxic tide will continue to disproportionately harm marginalized communities, particularly women.

Scientists and communities have been sounding the alarm for decades about the harmful effects of hazardous chemicals, but Orellana’s report emphasizes that a human rights-based approach is crucial to combating these gender-related harms. Its recommendations address both the immediate need for regulatory reform and the broader social inequalities that exacerbate the risks faced by women, girls and marginalized groups due to exposure to toxic substances.

According to Orellana, preventing toxic exposures would significantly improve maternal and newborn health outcomes, contributing to a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable environment for all.