The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030 (Global Plan) was launched in October 2021 and many NGOs handed it over to their decision makers. This session was held to discuss the next steps on what we can expect from our leaders and what we can do about it as NGOs.
It was attended by over 100 people representing NGOs, academia, government representatives and people from the public. We had three panelists including Etienne Krug, WHO, Clara Sanguinetti, City of Buenos Aires, and Saul Billingsley, FIA Foundation.
Etienne thanked the NGOs for getting the Global Plan into the hands of their decision makers and for their continued efforts to get attention to this important target. Each panelist was invited to give their views to NGOs on how to make progress in the Decade of Action.
Below we summarize some of the key points and tips coming out of the session.
Opening statements
Etienne Krug
NGOs should work with the decision makers that they handed the Global Plan to and hold them accountable for implementing it.
Decision makers should make a commitment and decide on the particular actions that will be taken to achieve the Global Plan and delegate them to the entities that can implement them.
Every country should have a target, a national plan, and measures to check progress.
Make a national plan using the Global Plan, divide the responsibilities and hold the leaders accountable using a regular monitoring framework.
Clara Sanguinetti
The City of Buenos Aires created a road safety plan, the first plan was less ambitious, the new plan includes improvement in data collection to check the impact of the interventions.
Monitoring and evaluation is key. This to check if the targets they set are correct.
This second road safety plan has included the global target of halving road deaths and injuries by 2030.
It also includes some of the interventions mentioned in the Global Plan, specifically those related to land plan and usage increasing cycle paths which also has a connection in reducing speed.
They are focusing a lot where we have passenger connections where most of the pedestrian- related road crashes take place and heavy trucks because this accounts for a high rate of the road fatalities
Last year they introduced a new regulation in Buenos Aires to have a better driving license process, stronger penalties related to drunk driving
Every time that they develop a document, draft of policy, or road safety intervention they have a consultation process with road safety NGOs. They do this because the NGOs are on the ground but also because they are politically independent and can provide inputs.
Saul Billingsley
Identify what is achievable in terms of advocating for the Global Plan according to your NGOs capacity, funding, and time available.
Set realistic targets for achievable advocacy objectives then move on to the next once they are achieved.
Get NGOs in other fields to partner with by building coalitions for consistent support. Build and maintain sustainable contacts with governments.
Have local evidence and data to implement small scale interventions so that you can and prove that what you’re talking about works.
Questions from the audience to the panel
How do we use the Key moments ahead of us e.g. Global Meeting in March, #CommittoAct Week of Action in May etc.?
We can use the key moments to create conversations with decision makers, demand action from the leaders and keep them updated on the reality on ground.
Use the key moments to reiterate the common messages and campaigns that are already circulating.
Use the key moments to get more endorsements from leaders and campaigns signed to keep the conversation going.
How do we as NGOs measure the implementation of the Global Plan? Is there a framework we can use?
Frameworks and key performance indicators exist for the Global Plan but most NGOs shouldn’t spend most of their time focusing on those unless they have the full resources and capacity to do so. Instead focus on advocacy, and work with the media, demand action and highlight the suffering that comes from road crashes.
Demand that your government participates in the High-Level-Meeting. Push your ministers to make statements committing to the actions that will achieve the targets of the Decade of Action
How do you measure 50% reduction in Buenos Aires?
One of the short term targets is to improve data collection and analysis, their target is to be more thorough and include fatal victims within 30 days of the crash
They compare the data from the 2019 period with the one of the period that they are monitoring. They also have one staff tracking police and public hospitals reports and with this we issue an annual report with reference to road deaths and victims. With this they analyze, causes, age gap, gender, and they use that data to improve the interventions they are working on
How is the High-level Meeting on Global Road Safety (High-level Meeting) structured? Are NGOs invited to attend?
The High-level Meeting is called by the President of the General Assembly. It is for Heads of States, heads of government, Ministers, or most senior representatives of government to discuss political or social matters that need more action. It shall be organized by WHO in support of the President of the General Assembly. It will happen on 3 June and 3 July in New York UN general Assembly hall with speeches on the first day and panel discussions for the second day.
The agenda and the nature of the meeting is yet to be confirmed – virtual or in person.
An outcome document shall be negotiated by the governments under the leadership of the Russian Federation and the Ambassador of Ivory Coast
In regards to NGOs’ attendance, a preparatory meeting was held on 3 December 2021 to gather views of civil society in New York, therefore, invitations will go out to the Heads of State and government representatives.
What should NGOs do between now and June in relation to the High-level Meeting?
Make sure that your government is aware of the meeting and if they are taking part, use it as leverage to achieve progress they can talk about during the meeting.
NGOs can make noise about the High-level Meeting and demand a collective desirable outcome from it.
Push governments to have a constructive attitude in the negotiation of the outcome document in March, April and May.
Encourage your Head of State to attend the High-level Meeting.
How and who should we collaborate with to align the calls by community-led campaigns endorsed by NGOs to bring everyone together?
UNRSC is an example of how we are working together. It includes NGOs, private sector, governmental, and multilateral agencies. Some NGOs are members in their own rights. The Alliance is the representative for the wider NGO community at the UNRSC. The UNRSC coordinates together on campaigns and calls to action.
Keep your energy high knowing that we are working together and supporting each other. Let’s continue working together.
