NGOs are leveraging the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety (Ministerial Conference) to strengthen their ongoing advocacy and to keep their governments accountable for the 2030 targets.
Observatório Nacional de Segurança Viária (ONSV), an Alliance member from Brazil, used the Ministerial Conference to build on its ongoing advocacy alongside other NGOs for speed management interventions and in particular for new legislative changes to:
As part of an NGO coalition, support had already been obtained, prior to the Ministerial Conference, for the legislation from 11 federal deputies. The Ministerial Conference therefore presented an opportunity to strengthen joint efforts for promoting safe speeds and engage different government agencies and other stakeholders to push the legislation.
Toward this objective, ONSV encouraged government entities and other stakeholders, including the National Traffic Secretariat, the Ministry of Health, National Association of State Traffic Departments, and the Federal Highway Police, to attend the conference. In preparation, it provided statistical and qualitative analyses on data on traffic crashes and victims to the National Traffic Secretariat and the Ministry of Health.
ONSV was represented at the conference by its CEO, Paulo Guimarães. Throughout the week, Paulo sought commitment from the organizations represented by the Brazilian delegation regarding the legislation, on the basis that it is the only WHO risk factor that Brazil’s legislation is not yet compliant with. He suggested technical sessions that they would benefit from attending, organized meetings to discuss topics presented by speakers, and facilitated visits to particular booths in the exhibition that with particular relevance to the members of the delegation. This included the Alliance’s booth. “We discussed the importance of civil society’s participation in providing technical input to support public policies and how different sectors of society can work together with governments and businesses in a coordinated manner,” says Paulo.
Now, after the Ministerial Conference, ONSV is leveraging its strengthened relationships with members of the delegation to push this legislation forward. This month, the NGO has sent a letter to the National Traffic Secretariat of the Ministry of Transport, who were present in Marrakech, requesting that they put legislation out to public consultation so that it can be changed by September.
ONSV’s participation in the Conference also served as an incentive for private companies to expand their support for the cause of road safety. Upon returning to Brazil, ONSV leveraged the media exposure gained from the conference to increase the number of companies supporting its activities through sponsorship and the dissemination of its educational content.
Additionally, its participation helped renew the engagement of its volunteer members, known as Certified Observers. This group consists of approximately 800 professionals working in various fields related to mobility and road safety. These professionals are trained and supported by ONSV to serve as representatives of the organization across all 27 states of Brazil, as well as in countries such as Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Cabo Verde, Mozambique, Angola, Spain, and Portugal.
The Film Festival at the Ministerial Conference provided an additional boost for ONSV’s work. Its campaign video for Maio Amarelo (Yellow May) in 2024, received two prizes, for best campaign and for best regional campaign in Latin America and the Caribbean. “Winning this prize brings the issue closer to society and enhances the reach of our Yellow May movement,” says Paulo. Paulo has already noticed the impact of the visibility gained through the prize. This year’s Yellow May Recently, ONSV held a launch event for the 2025 campaign with the theme Slow Down: Your Greatest Asset Is Life. The event gathered 200 people in person, while another 500 watched the campaign presentation live online. The campaign runs throughout May.
