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Capacity Building and Implementation of GHS, Global Thematic Workshop, Johannesburg, Nov. 2005

The role, perspectives and relevant activities of consumer

organisations

by Line Andersen,

(Adviser on Environment and Health),

The Consumer Council of Norway

on the behalf of Consumers International

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Consumers and Chemicals

• Many consumers don’t know much about chemicals …

• A small group may have high level of knowledge

• Many are not interested (because they do not know), others are concerned *

• Consumer organisations have a very wide scope, and limited resources – thus they have to prioritise very hard (and more traditional consumer issues get normally the prioritization)

(* Eurobarometer, April 2005)

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Why shall consumer organisations be interested?

• What’s in it for us? Show it!

• Examples:– GHS can provide important information for

safe production and use of consumer products (linkage between health problems or accidents, and chemicals)

– GHS can provide very important information for emergency responders (ex. Poison information centers), which can save the life of your child

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Examples of relevance

a) The lady with the can of pesticide from yesterday.b) Parents when accidents with their children drinking household chemicals (recent example from Norway: children drinking sweet antifreeze solutions for cars).

Make the link between chemical content of products and health clear to people, and consumer organisations!(The link between practical life and the GHS.)

These examples is injuries after using hair dyes.

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What are our role in national implementation of GHS?

• As earlier the government involve all other stakeholders, as better will the implementation and the benefits of GHS be

• Involvement of NGOs can help to speed up the process and/or make enforcement easier

• Consumer organisations can …– Contribute to the implementation of GHS in a

consumer friendly manner (influence how)– Contribute to capacity building and awareness raising

among consumers (we have reliability and confidence)– Contribute to the education of the consumers

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Through what kinds of activities?

• Dialogue with government/authorities and other stakeholders

• … or more conflict oriented approach dependent of the culture in your country

• Use of the media

• Campaigns

• Awareness raising

• Projects, i.e. education programmes

• Who do they represent? Is funding possible?

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Possibilities for future?

• How do you think we could in any way get more consumer organisations aware and interested?

• Maybe through …– A questionnaire about GHS and chemials?– Making a global network among experts within

consumer organisations?– Participation in a study or another kind of project?

Thank you for your attention!