Mandate of Special Rapporteur on the Implications for Human Rights of the Environmentally Sound Management and Disposal of Hazardous Substances and Wastes

Encourages the Special Rapporteur to continue close cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Environment Assembly, relevant specialized agencies of the United Nations system, such as the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization, and the secretariats of the international environmental conventions, with a view to mainstreaming human rights into their work and to avoiding duplication;

Requests the Special Rapporteur to participate in relevant United Nations and other international forums on issues relevant to the mandate, as appropriate, including in sessions of the United Nations Environment Assembly, the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury and the International Conference of the Global Framework on Chemicals, and in the sessions of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment and in the diplomatic conference that may adopt it, in order to mainstream human rights into these discussions;

Urges the Special Rapporteur to continue consultations with the competent United Nations agencies and bodies and with the secretariats of the relevant international conventions as part of a multidisciplinary, in-depth approach to addressing existing problems with a view to finding lasting solutions for the management of such substances and wastes in order to present to the Human Rights Council, in accordance with its programme of work, an annual report on the implementation of the resolutions that it has adopted, as well as specific recommendations and proposals concerning the steps that should be taken immediately in order to address the adverse implications for human rights of hazardous substances and wastes;

Encourages all States, United Nations agencies and other relevant international organizations, civil society actors, including non-governmental organizations, academic and scientific organizations, as well as the public and the private sectors and all other stakeholders, to engage in a process of consultation, dialogue and cooperation with the Special Rapporteur in order to enable the mandate to be effectively carried out;

Encourages the Special Rapporteur, in accordance with the mandate and with support and assistance from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to continue to provide Governments with appropriate opportunities to respond to allegations that are transmitted to the Special Rapporteur;

Requests the Special Rapporteur to inform States, United Nations agencies and other relevant international organizations, civil society and other stakeholders of the impact on human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, including in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to seek views and contributions from Governments, United Nations agencies and other relevant international organizations, civil society and other stakeholders in accordance with the mandate, to investigate national, regional and international efforts in respect of the Sustainable Development Goals and to undertake thematic research on the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda;

Also requests the Special Rapporteur to provide, upon request, technical assistance and advice to States and other actors on the implementation of the Special Rapporteur’s recommendations, and on the legal and policy framework for compliance with international human rights law and international environmental law;

Further requests the Special Rapporteur, in fulfilling the mandate, to mainstream a gender, age and disability perspective by paying special attention to the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls and by mainstreaming the human rights of children, persons with disabilities and other persons and communities in vulnerable situations;