LocationsThe ISLANDS project aims to prevent the build-up of materials and chemicals in the environment that contain POPS and Mercury and other harmful chemicals in SIDS, and to manage and dispose of existing harmful chemicals and materials in SIDS
Launch of a workshop on environmental and social safeguards and gender mainstreaming under the ISLANDS Project
September 9, 2025
The ISLANDS workshop on UNDP Social and Environmental Standards (SES) and gender equality mainstreaming has gathered around 40 participants from government, private sector, civil society and academia.
Stéphane Bellerose / UNDP Mauritius
Balaclava, Mauritius – 09 September 2025
A four-day Capacity Building Workshop was launched today in Balaclava under the Implementing Sustainable Low and non-Chemical Development in Small Island Developing States (ISLANDS) Project. Jointly organized by the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the training aims to strengthen national capacity on UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards (SES) and gender equality mainstreaming, ensuring that implementing partners, stakeholders, and relevant ministries are equipped to effectively monitor, report, and integrate safeguards and gender considerations across all project activities.
Mauritius, as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), faces unique challenges in chemicals and hazardous waste management, which are compounded by its geographical and economic vulnerabilities. The ISLANDS Project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented in partnership with the Government of Mauritius, seeks to prevent the build-up of hazardous materials, including Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs); improve the safe management of chemicals; and promote a circular economy through stronger regulatory frameworks, technical capacity building, and private sector engagement.
Safeguarding public health
Speaking at the opening, Ms. Amanda K. Serumaga, UNDP Resident Representative, underscored the importance of the workshop in strengthening national capacity to implement UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards, while ensuring that gender equality remains central to all project activities. She emphasized that protecting the environment, promoting social inclusion, and safeguarding public health are not only technical matters but also issues of intergenerational justice and sustainable development.
Honourable Johanna Bérenger, Junior Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, acknowledged GEF for its USD 4.5 million financial assistance and UNDP for its technical support under the ISLANDS Project. She stated: “For small islands like ours, every spill, every leak, every mismanaged waste carries a high cost, not only to the environment but also to our health and our future.” Highlighting the importance of the ISLANDS Project, she added: “By establishing safe and sustainable waste management systems, we not only safeguard public health and the environment but also reinforce Mauritius’s commitments under key international conventions such as the Basel, Minamata, and Stockholm Conventions.”
Over the next four days, participants will receive hands-on training on:
- UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards (SES);
- Environmental and Social Management Frameworks and Plans;
- Stakeholder engagement and grievance redress mechanisms; and
- Gender mainstreaming in project implementation.
The event brought together government representatives, NGOs, private sector actors, consultants, and development partners, reflecting the multi-stakeholder approach required to ensure effective monitoring, reporting, and long-term sustainability.
