31. Persons belonging to national minorities are equally entitled to environmental justice and must be protected from any disproportionate and unjustified environmental impact and risks. In some countries, people from national minority communities are more likely to work in, and be exposed to, unhealthy, hazardous environments. As a result, they may suffer disparities in health, housing and other areas of social and economic life; for example, poor access to clean drinking water, sanitation and electricity. This in itself can have serious short- and long-term effects on an individual’s health. Furthermore, certain high-risk activities in the informal economy, such as waste collection, are often carried out by persons belonging to national minorities. This includes collecting plastics, glass, metals, paper and electronic waste for recycling, all of which are known to carry specific health risks. In addition to the negative effects on their health, exposure to hazardous environments can also make it more difficult for people from minority communities to become actively involved in social and economic activities. For instance, environmental risks affect some of the most marginalized minority children, often with direct and indirect effects on their health and participation in society. This can compromise their school attendance and performance, which not only leads to immediate challenges, such as social exclusion, a higher likelihood of illiteracy, and lower skills and qualifications, but also perpetuates a cycle of poverty and exclusion, resulting in continued high unemployment rates and marginalization both inside and outside their communities. Certain national minorities, such as Roma, Sinti and Travellers, often live in polluted environments where the air, land and water have high levels of contamination. This is largely due to a combination of factors such as exclusion, poverty and limited access to essential resources. Minority women also tend to be particularly vulnerable to the impacts of environmental hazards, especially natural disasters caused by climate change. This heightened vulnerability usually stems from a combination of social and economic factors, cultural norms and limited access to resources, which can place them at a greater risk during such events. Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Social and Economic Life 61