The present working document provides a WHO guidance to support Member States in ensuring the health aspects are appropriately taken into consideration as part of national action planning processes focused on ASGM. This guidance document has been developed as part of a WHO technical series on ASGM and health and specifically addresses how and where health considerations should be considered in the context of National Action Planning (NAP) processes related to ASGM, in particular as required under the Minamata Convention on Mercury. It addresses the provision of Paragraph 3 (a) of article 7 of the Minamata Convention on Mercury stating that each party that has notified the secretariat that artisanal and gold mining and processing in its territory are more than insignificant shall develop and implement a national action plan in accordance with Annex C to the Convention. It addresses also the coverage of health in the wider NAP development process, for example when establishing national coordination mechanisms, conducting stakeholder engagement activities, developing a national overview of the ASGM sector, etc. It also provides a suggested orientation to support the development of the public health strategy component of the NAP. The latter is specifically focused on addressing content required under item (h) of Annex C of the Minamata Convention. However, as it also addresses awareness raising activities including in the context of engagement and identification of vulnerable groups, the document may also aid in the development of content required under items (i) and (j). The current version of the document incorporates feedback WHO has received after a period of consultation from selected Member States as well as some UN sister agencies supporting ASGM and national action planning activities so as to ensure that this guidance adequately addresses country needs and processes. Based on the current country work aiming at supporting selected Member States in developing the health component of the NAPs and the related public health strategy, this guidance document will in future benefit from practical experience. It should be noted that this document is subject to editing for formal publication as a WHO document. Contents
The present working document provides a WHO guidance to support Member States in ensuring the health aspects are appropriately taken into consideration as part of national action planning processes focused on ASGM. This guidance document has been developed as part of a WHO technical series on ASGM and health and specifically addresses how and where health considerations should be considered in the context of National Action Planning (NAP) processes related to ASGM, in particular as required under the Minamata Convention on Mercury. It addresses the provision of Paragraph 3 (a) of article 7 of the Minamata Convention on Mercury stating that each party that has notified the secretariat that artisanal and gold mining and processing in its territory are more than insignificant shall develop and implement a national action plan in accordance with Annex C to the Convention. It addresses also the coverage of health in the wider NAP development process, for example when establishing national coordination mechanisms, conducting stakeholder engagement activities, developing a national overview of the ASGM sector, etc. It also provides a suggested orientation to support the development of the public health strategy component of the NAP. The latter is specifically focused on addressing content required under item (h) of Annex C of the Minamata Convention. However, as it also addresses awareness raising activities including in the context of engagement and identification of vulnerable groups, the document may also aid in the development of content required under items (i) and (j). The current version of the document incorporates feedback WHO has received after a period of consultation from selected Member States as well as some UN sister agencies supporting ASGM and national action planning activities so as to ensure that this guidance adequately addresses country needs and processes. Based on the current country work aiming at supporting selected Member States in developing the health component of the NAPs and the related public health strategy, this guidance document will in future benefit from practical experience. It should be noted that this document is subject to editing for formal publication as a WHO document. Contents