On the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Minamata Convention on Mercury highlights the urgent need to address the harmful effects of skin-lightening mercury-containing products.
Using cosmetics to lighten skin tone has deep historical roots, spanning centuries and cultures. Unfortunately, people with lighter skin colour are still perceived as having a higher social status in many parts of the world today.
While some individuals use these products to address skin imperfections such as freckles and blemishes, many others use them to alter their skin colour. Consumers may not realize that these products often contain a cocktail of harmful chemicals, including mercury.
The? warns that mercury, a common ingredient in many skin-lightening products, poses serious health risks. Mercury exposure can result in kidney damage, neurological disorders, and other adverse health effects. Pregnant women, babies, and young children are particularly vulnerable to its harmful effects.
To combat the use of mercury in cosmetics globally, the??on Mercury (COP-5) amended the Convention text to explicitly ban manufacture, import, and export of mercury-added cosmetics.
"This new international requirement on cosmetics is an example of how we can proactively be anti-racists and contribute to addressing structural racism that is still prevailing in our societies," says Monika Stankiewicz, Minamata Convention Executive Secretary and Alternate Anti-racism Advocate for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
¡°The work under the Minamata Convention and UNEP will not stop here, and we will now focus on supporting countries to put the new rule into practice.¡±
On the same occasion of COP-5, the Global Environment Facility and UNEP organized a??and confronting the perpetuation of harmful cultural norms.
UNEP is also leading the project to eradicate mercury-containing, skin-lightening products. This initiative supports government legislation to ban mercury-added products in line with the Minamata Convention, strengthens national capacities, and raises awareness of the risks associated with these products.
Additionally, the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership Secretariat invites stakeholders and experts to express their interest in joining the??to eliminate mercury-containing, skin-lightening products.
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