Goal 3: Good health and well-being

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

One of the targets countries have committed to reaching in order to ensure healthy lives is to substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The OSCE helps its participating States to manage hazardous waste and chemicals, for example uranium legacy sites in Central Asia or industrial legacy sites in Armenia and Georgia, and to minimize the serious security risks that they pose. The OSCE’s support to the Aarhus Convention through Aarhus Centres includes support to states in fulfilling their commitments to register and reduce air pollutants.

The OSCE assists participating States with the disposal of mélange, a highly-toxic, liquid rocket propellant used during the Cold War, which a number of the OSCE participating States still possess in large quantities, stored in deteriorating storage sites.

Strengthening the prevention of substance abuse is another target countries are aiming at to reach this goal. Preventing the devastating health and social consequences of drug addiction is an essential goal of the OSCE’s work to promote international co-operation in combating international drug trafficking.