Gender and Waste Nexus: Experiences from Bhutan, Mongolia and Nepal

Stakeholders and structural characteristics of the waste sector

The structural characteristics of thewaste sector engage actors and stakeholders across a range of implementing and decision-making levels. Gender inequalities exist at all levels, as do the opportunities to move towards gender equality.

As a labour-intensive sector, wastemanagement creates many job and business opportunities for professionals, including engineers, repair and maintenance technicians and traders, as well as for those performing practical low-skilled work, such as waste pickers, waste collectors, drivers, recyclers and sweepers. Recycling, as a secondary resourceeconomy, is oneof the most economically valuable activities in the entire waste value chain. Recycling not only generates revenue for individuals, but also contributes to national economies. In addition, it promotes sustainable management through following circular principles to recover and regenerate materials. Both formal and informal actors within the waste sector can engage in recycling. Informal labourers are often crucial in running waste management operations, particularly in lower-income countries. The services of informal workers often complement those of the formal waste sector, but at times play a major role. Many people are able to earn a living from performing informal waste-related activities, such as waste picking, sorting and recovery of recyclables, which are then sold to intermediaries for further recycling. Informal workers often perform their duties with lower technical means and limited or no safety equipment, receiving low remuneration. It is not uncommon for informal workers to have to carry segregated waste on foot with bundles strapped to their backs, or to transport it using wagons, bicycles or private cars. Upcycling, which is turning waste into new products or finding innovative ways to recycle materials, can contribute to a cleaner environment and provide financial independence for communities. Such opportunities are available throughout the waste sector and there is a clear trend showing that a growing number of social entrepreneurs are looking at waste as a resource. These activities often start as informal and on a small scale but can grow into a business recognized within the formal sector. Informal

Households and communities

Household waste is a significant proportion of the total solid waste generated. The success of current waste management systems therefore largely depends on how well such waste is managed. Households, which currently have the least formal engagement with the waste sector’s power and policy structures, may be a crucial area for reform in the waste sector. Understanding the creation and management of household waste is particularly important, due to their tremendous capacity for reducing the flow of waste through household consumption, segregation and recycling practices. Community structures, such as neighbourhood associations or informal community groups, particularly in smaller urban settings, can also play a pivotal role in the waste sector. Communities are involved in the early stage of the waste management chain (as are households) and can therefore contribute to successful waste management implementation. Policymaking, legislative framework development, budgeting and priority setting are all part of governance. The public sector has the legislative and administrative authority and responsibility of the waste sector, sets the sector’s strategic direction and is key to driving its development and improvement at both the national and local levels. Policymakers are responsible for finding the best solutions to sustainably finance waste-related services. Policy and governance

Operational level

Formal

Waste management is an essential utility service coordinated by the public sector, though the actual operations may rely heavily on the private sector or public–private partnerships. As a result, there are often double layers of administration, both in public and private structures.

Gender and waste nexus

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