Social and gender 
                Addressing socioeconomic 
                inequalities in 
                and gender inequities  
                environment and health
                in the WHO European 
                Region
                                      Fifth Ministerial Conference  
                                      on Environment and Health 
                                                      
                                      “Protecting children’s health in a  
                                          changing environment” 
                                                      
                                        Parma, Italy, 10–12 March 2010 
                              
                    
                                                                          EUR/55934/PB/1 
                                                                           22 January 2010 
                                                                                 100125 
                                                                           Original: English 
                    
                                                      
                                                      
                                 Social and gender inequalities in  
                                      environment and health 
                                                      
                    
                    
                                            Conference Secretariat 
                   WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION   •   REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE 
                   Scherfigsvej 8, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark   Telephone: +45 39 17 12 52/16 06   Fax: +45 39 17 18 78/18 92 
                        E-mail: parma2010@euro.who.int     World Wide Web address: http://www.euro.who.int/parma2010 
                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                Front cover photo credit: WHO/Ivor Prickett. 
                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                               
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                                                                                                                   EUR/55934/PB/1 
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                                                                       CONTENTS 
                                                                                 
                             
                                                                                                                             Page 
                             
                            Acknowledgments...................................................................................................iv 
                            Introduction............................................................................................................ 1 
                                   Social and health inequalities........................................................................... 1 
                                   Social inequalities in environment and health risk distribution............................ 2 
                                   WHO work on social inequalities and environmental risk ................................... 2 
                            Evidence summary: Current knowledge on social inequalities and environmental risk.. 4 
                                   Inequalities in environmental risks related to income, education and other 
                                   indicators of SES ............................................................................................ 5 
                                   Inequalities in environmental risks related to gender ........................................ 7 
                                   Inequalities in environmental risks related to marginalized population groups..... 9 
                                   Inequalities in environmental risks across the life-course..................................10 
                                   Conclusion ....................................................................................................12 
                            Addressing the inequalities: key recommendations...................................................13 
                                   Reducing inequalities while promoting healthy environments for all..................13 
                                   1.     Improve daily living conditions..............................................................14 
                                   2.     Tackle the inequitable distribution of power, money and resources.........15 
                                   3.     Measure and understand the problem and assess the impact of action....16 
                                   Actions in situations of uncertainty .................................................................16 
                            References ............................................................................................................17