Chemical safety & noise pollution in Bosnia and Herzegovina: a gender equality, social equity and poverty reduction lens

The document examines how socio-economic factors and gender norms in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) create disproportionate exposure to chemical and noise pollution. It highlights that while men are more exposed in heavy industry, women face higher risks in healthcare, cleaning, and agriculture. It notes a critical lack of official data on environmental health in BiH and recommends gender-sensitive risk assessments, poverty reduction, and targeted awareness campaigns to protect marginalized groups, including Roma communities.

• Bosnia and Herzegovina faces significant chemical contamination of water, soil, and food, primarily driven by inadequate disposal of municipal and industrial waste, mining, and a lack of wastewater treatment systems.
• There is a critical deficiency of official data in Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the link between environmental pollution and health, and specifically no current data on noise pollution.
• Occupational exposure to chemicals in BiH is gendered: men are more likely to be exposed in heavy industry and construction, while women are disproportionately represented in high-risk sectors such as healthcare, social work (estimated at over 70% women), and beauty services.
• Gender norms in rural Bosnia and Herzegovina influence chemical exposure through the division of agricultural labour, where women are more likely to perform manual activities while men hold decision-making roles.
• Roma communities in Central and South-East Europe are particularly vulnerable to chemical pollution due to their frequent residence in polluted areas near landfills and industrial sites, compounded by discrimination and limited access to health services.
• Physiological vulnerabilities make women, foetuses, infants, and children more sensitive to hazardous chemicals, while children are further endangered by behaviours like crawling and an inability to read warning labels.
• Effective policy interventions for BiH should include the collection of disaggregated data, implementing workplace exposure controls, incorporating gender differences into risk assessments, and addressing the structural poverty that increases vulnerability.

APA

Strambo, C., Segnestam, L., & Jahović, B. (2021). Chemical safety & noise pollution in Bosnia and Herzegovina: a gender equality, social equity and poverty reduction lens. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/bih-esap-db-chemicals-and-noise-and-equality-final-eng-2.pdf

Chicago

Strambo, Claudia, Lisa Segnestam, and Belma Jahović. Chemical safety & noise pollution in Bosnia and Herzegovina: a gender equality, social equity and poverty reduction lens. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2021. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/bih-esap-db-chemicals-and-noise-and-equality-final-eng-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Strambo |first1=Claudia |last2=Segnestam |first2=Lisa |last3=Jahović |first3=Belma |title=Chemical safety & noise pollution in Bosnia and Herzegovina: a gender equality, social equity and poverty reduction lens |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=August 2021 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/bih-esap-db-chemicals-and-noise-and-equality-final-eng-2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{strambo2021chemical, author = {Strambo, Claudia and Segnestam, Lisa and Jahović, Belma}, title = {{Chemical safety \& noise pollution in Bosnia and Herzegovina: a gender equality, social equity and poverty reduction lens}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2021}, month = aug, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/bih-esap-db-chemicals-and-noise-and-equality-final-eng-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }