? On 28 April 2025, GGKP hosted a side event under the GEF-funded Global NIP Update project (GEF ID 10785), in collaboration with UNEP’s Chemicals and Health Branch (Knowledge and Risk Unit), as part of the 2025 Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.

Opened by Dr. Rolph Payet, the Executive Secretary of the BRS Conventions, the event focused on how countries can strengthen their inventories of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) by leveraging publicly available data and improving national data collection practices.

The discussion reaffirmed a shared understanding among participants: strengthening POPs inventories requires more than access to publicly available data. Countries must also proactively consider how to generate relevant national datasets, establish robust methods for analyzing data, and develop systems for managing and applying this information effectively.

Such efforts are essential for informed decision-making and more effective management of hashtag#POPs at the national level.

We were honored to feature insights from Dr. Katerina Sebkova (RECETOX), Dr. Ramesh Kumar (NEERI), Mihaela Claudia Paun (UNEP KRU), Dr. Roland Weber (POPs Expert), Dana Lewis (BCRC Caribbean), Stephane Horel (Le Monde), Saidy Motladile (Department of Environmental Protection, National Environmental Laboratory, Botswana), Addisu Tibebu Kumsa (EPA Ethiopia), and Esquire Henry (Chemicals and Waste Youth Platform / Children and Youth International).

A big thank you to all speakers and a highly engaged audience committed to data-informed action for sound chemicals and waste management.

? Kicking off the NIP Dialogue Series: Voices from the Countries

We’re excited to launch the series with a powerful first story from India—the world’s last remaining manufacturer of DDT. In this opening piece, we explore how the country is charting a bold and strategic path away from Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), while maintaining strong public health outcomes.

Through innovation, regulatory leadership, inclusive community engagement, and public-private collaboration, India offers a compelling example of how POPs can be phased out in practice—not just in policy.

✨ This series will continue to spotlight real-world experiences from countries actively working to develop, review, and update their National Implementation Plans (NIPs) under the Stockholm Convention—bringing country voices, lessons learned, and practical solutions to the forefront.

? Read the full blog here – and stay tuned for more stories from the ground!

When developing and updating National Implementation Plans (NIPs) under the Stockholm Convention, countries focus on a wide range of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and their sources. However, when considering the gender dimension in NIP implementation, it is important to recognize that exposure pathways differ between men and women. While men are often more exposed to POPs in occupational settings, such as industrial work, agriculture, or waste management, women are also at high risk—particularly through cosmetics and personal care products that may contain harmful chemicals like PFASs, parabens, and UV stabilizers. These exposures, though less visible, are just as significant and should be integrated into awareness-raising efforts, risk assessments, and policy actions within NIPs. By incorporating a gender-responsive approach, countries can ensure that chemical safety strategies address all exposure risks and protect the health of both men and women effectively.

As you are working diligently on your NIPs, please do not forget to revisit UNEP guidance on Incorporating Gender Dimensions into National Strategy Setting in Chemicals Management