More than 100 participants joined the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC) virtual meeting held on 24 September to debate way forward after the approval of the new UN resolution on Improving Global Road Safety declaring a Second Decade of Action. Preparation of the World Day of Remembrance of road traffic victims was also at centre stage during the meeting.
The UN resolution marks four great achievements:
- Endorsement of Stockholm Declaration.
- Declaration of the Second Decade of Action with a specific target to reduce road deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030.
- Commissioning of WHO and the UN regional Commissions, along with other partners in the UN Road Safety Collaboration and other stakeholders to develop a plan of action for the Decade of Action.
- A high-level UN General Assembly meeting at head of state level to be held before the end of 2022.
“We need to make sure that every government and all the relevant people are aware that this resolution exists, second that they contribute to the thinking. We will want every country to have a plan for the [Second] Decade of Action…” commented Etienne Krug, Director of Social Determinants of Health, WHO.
The Global Alliance of NGOs for road safety held recently a session with Dr Krug to discuss the process that led to the resolution, the content, the plans for the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety, and how NGOs can push the resolution in their countries. The recording of the session can be accessed here:
https://www.roadsafetyngos.org/about/about-road-safety/un-resolution-on-improving-global-road-safety/
UNRSC group discussed also preparation for the World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims which is set for 15th November 2020. This year marks 25 years since a day dedicated to remembering road traffic victims began to be observed internationally.
Under the slogan: Remember, Support, Act, WDoR 2020 objectives are to provide a platform for road traffic victims and their families to:
- Remember all people killed and seriously injured on the roads;
- Acknowledge the crucial work of the emergency services;
- Draw attention to the generally trivial legal response to culpable road deaths and injuries
- Advocate for better support for road traffic victims and victim families;
- Promote evidence-based actions to prevent and eventually stop further road traffic deaths and injuries.
More info and all the communication material are freely available on WDoR website:
https://worlddayofremembrance.org/