Gender and Waste Nexus: Experiences from Bhutan, Mongolia and Nepal - Policy Brief

This policy brief presents an analysis of the gendered nature of the waste sector in Bhutan, Mongolia and Nepal, developed under a waste and climate change project led by the United Nations Environment Programme International Environmental Technology Centre . Drawing on fieldwork in each country, partner guidance and a synthesis of existing literature, it examines gendered patterns across all segments of the waste hierarchy. The brief identifies embedded inequalities shaped by social norms, highlights the sector’s links to the Sustainable Development Goals, and outlines evidence-based policy considerations, including gender mainstreaming, data collection, labour standards, education, and the formalization of informal waste work, to inform national decision-making.