Assisting in the implementation and enforcement of the Minamata Convention on Mercury in Pakistan

Assisting in the implementation and enforcement of the Minamata Convention on Mercury in Pakistan

Project Title: Assisting in the implementation and enforcement of the Minamata Convention on Mercury in Pakistan
Duration of Project (Start and End Date) May 2024 to Dec 2024
Donors/Partners: European Environmental Bureau
Project Focal Person from SDPI Dr. Razia Safdar
Project Focal Person’s Email Address razia@sdpi.org
Locale: Islamabad 
Project Lead Dr. Razia Safdar
Project Team Dr. Razia Safdar and Dr. Bilal Khalid
Unit Name Center of Health & Policy Institute 

Program/Project Rational and Background

Relevant policy background in the country/region Pakistan is Party to Minamata convention and has ratified the convention and is committed to phase out mercury content of identified products in annex 4. Ministry of Climate Change and Environment is custodian of Minamata Convention and has many interventions and monitoring mechanisms. Mercury containing Skin whitening creams health impacts and phasing out work still needs to be addressed and Ministry of Health needs to take the lead.

Objectives of the project

1. Working collaboratively with the National Mercury Focal Point in support of a policy by the federal Government of Pakistan to engage in a national stakeholder process to adopt the Minamata Convention’s ban on production, export and import of cosmetics containing mercury.
2. Build support for the national government to engage producers of mercury-added skin whitening products (SWPs) in transitioning away from mercury use.
3. Raise awareness on mercury-added skin lightening products, through sampling and surveying female student.

Planned Deliverables/Outputs With Dates (Mandatory)

• Task 1: Ensure government commitment towards adopting a ban on manufacture, import and export of mercury added Skin whitening Products (SWP) in Pakistan in compliance with the Minamata Convention (May- June 2024)

• Task 2: A Stakeholder Engagement Strategy focused on regulating mercury added SWP is developed with the national government (July- Sep2024)

• Task 3: Sampling and testing of skin-lightening products (SLPs) manufactured in Pakistan (Sep- Nov 2024)

• Task 4: Awareness about mercury containing SLPs and online sale points (Sep- Dec 2024)

Impact/Outcome Sought or Achieved (if any)

Assist government towards adopting a ban on manufacture, import and export of mercury added skin whitening products. A stakeholder engagement strategy focused on regulating mercury added SWP will be developed with the national government.
Part B: To further support the government’s commitment to ban mercury added SWPs, there is a need to raise awareness. This will be achieved via tasks 3 and 4 of the project