The Road Ahead
Issue 9
PAST EVENTS
Secretary General reports back to General Assembly on road safety
In September the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon published his first report to the UN General Assembly on progress in international road safety. The Report calls upon Member States to continue using the WHO-World Bank World report on road traffic injury prevention as a framework for road safety efforts, and to pay particular attention to the risk factors mentioned in this report. The report summarizes achievements from the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration, including the events organized around the First UN Global Road Safety Week held in April 2007, as well as the series of good practice manuals that are aimed at addressing some of the key risk factors for road traffic injuries. Finally, the report calls for a ministerial conference on road safety to be held under the auspices of the UN in the near future.
To download the report please go to http://www.who.int/roadsafety/news/19_10_2007/en/index.html
7th meeting of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration
On 16-17 October 2007, WHO hosted the 7th meeting of the UN Road Safety Collaboration. The 35 participants represented a variety of global road safety organizations, donors, governments and NGOs. The main objective of the meeting was to review the functioning of the Collaboration over the past three years and to identify strategic directions and priority activities for the coming years. The group agreed that the Collaboration should continue to be the main forum for coordination of the agencies working in international road safety. A number of major activities were identified for future focus, including the Second UN Road Safety Week, Remembrance Day, preparing the Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, supporting countries to strengthen their road safety activities and monitor progress. Participants also agreed that a small Steering Committee should be formed to help guide the growing Collaboration, and that criteria for membership in the Collaboration should be developed. Finally, the Collaboration reviewed a draft resolution that will be discussed in the United Nations General Assembly early in 2008, sponsored by the Sultanate of Oman.
For further information, please contact Mr Matts Belin at belinm@who.int
The meeting report is downloadable from http://www.who.int/roadsafety/events/un_roadsafety_collab7/en/index.html
New traffic injury prevention project for WHO
In August WHO received a large grant from the Bloomberg Family Foundation for a new road traffic injury prevention project with two components.
Pilot country projects: The new grant tasks WHO with the development and implementation of prevention projects in two pilot countries, Viet Nam and Mexico. These projects are being developed in consultation with government and partner agencies in the two countries, and will focus on increasing the use of motorcycle helmets, reducing drink-driving; and improving the visibility of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Strategies used will include building capacity for law-makers and public health officials, training the police to improve enforcement of legislation and supporting nongovernmental organizations in their prevention work. Implementing such broad-based road safety initiatives in these two countries has the potential to save many lives: in addition, by working in two pilot countries to test the effects of intensive road safety programmes, there are likely to be spill-over effects with an impact on other countries facing similar road safety concerns in the two regions. Four new staff will be employed in the two countries to develop, monitor and evaluate this two-year project. For more information contact Mr Melecki Khayesi at khayesim@who.int
Global Status Report on Road Safety: The second component of the project is the development of a report which will aim to assess the status of road safety around the world. In the context of the recommendations of the World report on road traffic injury prevention, as well as UN General Assembly resolutions 58/289 and 60/5, and WHA resolution 57.10, the GSRRS objectives are:
The indicators used will be based on the recommendations of the World report on road traffic injury prevention (for example, it will include information on road traffic injuries and fatalities; existence of legislation on seat-belts, motorcycle helmets, speed and blood alcohol concentration; seat-belt and motorcycle helmet-wearing rates; and the existence of a national plan of action on road safety). An expert meeting was held in September 2007 to begin preparing the questionnaire and protocol for this project. Data will be collected in countries through governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations and academic institutions. The report will serve as a useful tool in advocating for increased focus and investment on road safety at both national and international levels.
For more information contact Ms Tami Toroyan at toroyant@who.int
Private sector meeting in Shanghai
On 14 November 2007, WHO hosted a meeting on "The Private Sector and Road Safety" in Shanghai, China. The meeting convened 25 representatives from multinational private companies to identify the private sector's "added value" and discuss how to increase its involvement in road safety; share information on how private sector companies can improve safety on the road for their own employees and their contractors; discuss how private sector companies can support national and international road safety initiatives; and explore other steps that could be taken by the international community to increase awareness in road safety efforts by private companies.
For further information, please contact Mr Matts Belin at belinm@who.int
World Youth Assembly follow up
As was reported in our last edition of this newsletter, the first World Youth Assembly for Road Safety was held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland in April 2007. During the Assembly, the 400 young delegates explored ways in which they could facilitate implementation of the Youth Declaration for Road Safety, the main output of the Assembly.
The feedback from delegates since the Assembly shows a huge amount of follow-up activities at national level. Among these are formal presentations of the Declaration to senior government officials in countries such as Mali, Zambia, Belize and Oman; establishment of the Canadian Road Safety Youth Committee, offering a structure to locally implement the Declaration; hosting of a high-profile public awareness campaign in Estonia, supported by the Baltic MTV; creation of new websites, like the Australian "Make a Pledge" web site (www.ipledge.com.au.); and a host of other initiatives in countries such as Botswana, Gambia and Egypt. Many of these have been covered by the national media. There has also been follow up to the wish expressed by delegates during the Assembly for creation of a global youth NGO for road safety. This idea is being pursued by some of the chairs of the Assembly, with support from WHO. Several potential donors and possible partners have expressed interest in supporting this NGO, and it is hoped that an official announcement can be made in the coming months.
For more information please visit http://www.who.int/roadsafety/week/activities/global/youth/en/index.html or contact Ms Laura Sminkey at sminkeyl@who.int
World Day of Remembrance celebrated
On 18 November a number of countries recognized World Day of Remembrance for those affected by road traffic crashes. In various countries, these events were linked through an activity called "Remember and Reflect", where candles were lit in public spaces and private homes across many continents in honour of those killed. Road safety advocates also collaborated through an activity called "Remember and Respond", activists will work with local authorities to achieve a "day without road crashes", when concerted effort will be taken to promote the use of seat-belts and helmets; speed reduction; drink driving avoidance; and enforcement of legislation around these issues.
For more information please see: http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_traffic/activities/ngos/en/index.html
UPCOMING EVENTS
13-14 March 2008: Second Global Meeting of Ministry of Health Focal Points for Injuries and Violence Prevention, Merida, Mexico. For further information, please contact Ms Laura Sminkey at sminkeyl@who.int
15-18 March 2008: 9th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, Merida, Mexico. For further information, please visit http://www.safety2008mx.info or contact the Conference Secretariat at safety2008@insp.mx
The next UN Road Safety Collaboration meeting is tentatively scheduled for 1-2 April 2008 in New York following the discussion of the UN General Assembly Resolution on road safety which will take place on 31 March 2008. For further information, please contactMr Matts Belin at belinm@who.int
The drink-driving manual will be launched in Bangalore, India, early this year. For more information please contact Mr Melecki Khayesi at khayesim@who.int
PUBLICATIONS
The helmet manual is now available in French and Portuguese. http://www.who.int/roadsafety/projects/manuals/helmet_manual/en/
The manuals on speed management and seat-belt use will also be available early in 2008.