ΝΕΑ από την Global Alliance NGOs Road Victims

 

 

Η ΕΥΘΥΤΑ ΡΟΔΟΥ-ΠΑΡΑΤΗΡΗΤΗΡΙΟ ΟΔΙΚΗΣ ΑΣΦΑΛΕΙΑΣ, είναι ενεργό μέλος της. 

Editorial: Building NGO capacity for impact Across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, a powerful pattern is emerging: when NGOs are equipped with the right tools and evidence, meaningful change on road safety becomes achievable. Twelve NGOs participated in the 2023 – 2025 Alliance Incubator (Incubator), a tailored capacity building program for NGOs to grow their advocacy for evidence-based interventions through mentoring, peer learning, and small grants. They used the Alliance Accountability Toolkit (Toolkit) to advocate for the implementation of 30 km/h zones. The Toolkit provides a practical roadmap for NGOs to assess local gaps and define country-specific advocacy strategies.   In this newsletter, we spotlight four success stories from the Alliance Incubator. In Kenya, ASIRT’s advocacy contributed to the ongoing review of the Traffic Act to make 30 km/h the default urban speed limit; in Uganda, URRENO’s advocacy supported national gazetting of 30 km/h zones; in Nepal, Swatantrata Abhiyan Nepal's advocacy contributed to municipal implementation of 30 km/h zones and an MoU to develop a five-year road safety strategy; and in Chile, Fundación Emilia’s advocacy generated municipal commitments for 30 km/h zones to protect schoolchildren and pedestrians.   What unites these efforts across very different contexts is the clarity that comes from using a structured tool like the Toolkit. These successes are not isolated wins; they are proof of a growing capability of NGOs to shape road safety policy and implementation. The Alliance’s role is to nurture this capability: to train NGOs in accountability, equip them with evidence-generation tools, and create platforms where they can demonstrate their value to government and other stakeholders.   This month, we marked the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, which reminded us why this work matters. The Alliance stood alongside members around the world to remember those lost and injured on our roads. There is a human cost behind every statistic, highlighting the urgency of accelerating evidence-based interventions like 30 km/h zones.

Case study: Making 30 km/h a reality “The case study demonstrates how, with the right tools and support, NGOs can hold their governments accountable and drive meaningful policy change. The experiences of ASIRT Kenya, URRENO, and other Alliance members demonstrate what is possible when empowered NGOs use the Accountability Toolkit to turn advocacy into measurable action.” – Lotte Brondum, Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety.   This week, the Alliance, with generous support from TotalEnergies Foundation, published a case study titled Making 30 km/h a reality: A case study of advocacy in Kenya and Uganda using the Accountability Toolkit. It demonstrates how NGOs are influencing policy and driving implementation of 30 km/h zones, a proven intervention to reduce deaths and injuries. We closely followed Alliance member NGOs in Kenya and Uganda who have applied the Toolkit to successfully advocate for 30 km/h limits which is crucial for accelerating progress towards meeting the targets of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030.  The case study is accompanied by the launch of a new webpage in the Toolkit: Lessons learned: Real-world application of the Accountability Toolkit for 30 km/h zones. It summarizes the learning from seven NGOs in Argentina, Chile, Kenya, Nepal, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda, advocating for 30 km/h zones using the Toolkit under the Incubator. This program was co-funded by the FIA Foundation, TotalEnergies Foundation and Michelin. The learning webpage provides further examples of how the Toolkit supported NGO advocacy for 30 km/h zones and offers advocacy tips that other NGOs can adopt to advance implementation of 30 km/h zones in their countries. Read more.

Incubator success stories

ASIRT Kenya advocating for 30 km/h zones implementation in Kenya.

Progress for 30 km/h zones in Kenya “By taking every available chance to highlight the need for 30 km/h zones, we ensured the message reached decision-makers repeatedly and from multiple angles. We were able to do this by leveraging our existing relationships and credibility with government officials.” — Bright Oywaya, ASIRT.   ASIRT Kenya’s advocacy through the Incubator has contributed to progress toward the implementation of 30 km/h speed limits in Kenya. The government has now committed to 30 km/h zones as a policy priority and embedded 30 km/h zones in Kenya's Traffic Act review. The implementation matrix for 30 km/h zones in Kenya's National Road Safety Action Plan (2024–2028) with budget allocations, is currently under development.   Using the Toolkit, ASIRT structured its advocacy to spotlight urgent risks for pedestrians, combining data and evidence, strategic partnerships with allies from civil society, and persistent engagement with government to make 30 km/h a national priority. It assessed the current policy and implementation status of 30 km/h zones in Kenya, developed clear and actionable key asks for government, outlined specific actions needed in their context to achieve 30 km/h zone implementation, and engaged with government to present arguments on why 30 km/h zones are needed, particularly to protect people who walk.   ASIRT is now tracking government responses and continues to work closely with government officials and civil society allies to ensure the full implementation of 30 km/h zones in Kenya. Read more.

URRENO structuring their advocacy for 30 km/h zones in Uganda using the Alliance Accountability Toolkit.

Advocacy success for 30 km/h zones in Uganda “I recommend that those who have not had the chance to use the Accountability Toolkit should use it. It is very resourceful. It brings out the evidence-based facts, and it tells you what to ask the government. I was impressed. It points out all the issues you need to consider. Every organization should be exposed to this tool.” — Fred Tumwine, URRENO.   Through the Incubator, Alliance member URRENO has contributed to meaningful progress toward 30 km/h speed limits in Uganda by supporting the transformation of policy commitments into concrete government action. Guiding its advocacy using the Toolkit, URRENO contributed to the process for the national gazetting of 30 km/h zones and is now advocating for strong enforcement and monitoring systems to ensure these protections reach communities, especially schoolchildren.   URRENO began by assessing Uganda’s national laws and speed policy framework. It then mapped key decision-makers and found that they were already connected to the right government offices, including the Ministry of Works and Transport, Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). It further identified civil society allies who provided technical guidance, community reach, and policy expertise to strengthen its advocacy.   With this foundation, URRENO defined its key asks: gazette 30 km/h zones nationally, set a budget and timeline for implementation starting with school zones, and establish a monitoring framework to ensure compliance. Following successful engagement with decision-makers, Uganda has now gazetted 30 km/h zones in January 2025 and launched the Guide for Establishment of Safe School Zones in May 2025, including updated regulations to reduce default urban limits from 50 km/h to 30 km/h. Read more.

Swatantrata Abhiyan Nepal discussing with decision-makers on the need for 30 km/h zones in Nepal.

30 km/h zones implementation in Nepal “We will continue building on this progress by advocating for dedicated municipal budgets for road safety, supporting the adoption of the National Road Safety Act, and sharing its lessons with additional municipalities,” says Writtu Bhatta, Swatantrata Abhiyan Nepal.   Alliance member Swatantrata Abhiyan Nepal’s (SAN) advocacy through the Incubator, structured by the Toolkit, is helping to shape 30 km/h zones from a low-priority concern to an emerging municipal and federal agenda in Nepal. SAN’s advocacy has contributed to the installation of 30 km/h signs in school and hospital zones in Tokha municipality and the signing of an MoU with decision-makers to co-develop a five-year road safety strategy.   SAN began by assessing the status of speed management in two high-risk municipalities, Tokha and Budhanilkantha. Based on its findings, it defined clear asks: introduce 30 km/h zones in school and hospital areas, allocate municipal resources for implementation, and strengthen enforcement and signage to ensure compliance. SAN engaged with key decision-makers such as Tokha’s chief administrative officer, mayor, deputy mayor, and council members. SAN also mobilized civil society and community allies to strengthen its advocacy.   SAN’s advocacy is also yielding results at the national level. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has released a preliminary draft of the National Road Safety Act for public consultation, signaling increasing prioritization of road safety measures. Read more.

Fundación Emilia in a 30 km/h advocacy training session in Chile.

Momentum for 30 km/h zones in Chile “The progress made so far is due to clear communication, strong community mobilization, and steady engagement with authorities. Framing safe speeds as a rights-based issue added moral urgency and strengthened our advocacy,” says Fundación Emilia.   Alliance member Fundación Emilia’s advocacy through the Incubator is contributing to increased momentum for 30 km/h zone implementation in Chile. Using the Toolkit which supported citizen-led audits, and strategic partnerships with allies, its advocacy is helping shape Chile’s emerging framework for 30 km/h zones. In Valparaíso, Fundación Emilia’s audits around Escuela David Ben Gurion and CESFAM Las Cañas exposed serious risks to pedestrians, triggering media coverage in La Estrella de Valparaíso and prompting local authorities to commit to improvements to protect schoolchildren and other pedestrians.   Fundación Emilia began by assessing Chile’s national and municipal readiness for 30 km/h zones. Its assessment showed that although Chile recognizes the importance of safe speeds, institutional leadership and coordination mechanisms for implementing 30 km/h zones at the municipal level were unclear. It then defined key asks for decision-makers: to finalize and operationalize a clear framework for 30 km/h zones, and to implement these zones in high-risk areas, especially around schools.   Through partnerships with allies in academia, civil society, and communities, Fundación Emilia strengthened its engagement with government, framing its arguments for 30 km/h zones as a safety, human rights, and public health issue. It continues to engage with government to sustain momentum and ensure that 30 km/h zones remain on the government agenda. Read more.

World Day of Remembrance

World Day of Remembrance 2025 commemoration in Abuja.

World Day of Remembrance 2025 Alliance members from across the world commemorated the World Day of Remembrance on 16 November 2025. From Africa to Latin America, Europe to Asia, NGOs lent their voice to REMEMBER, SUPPORT, ACT, and used the opportunity to push forward their advocacy for improving road safety. NGOs gathered with families of road victims, lit candles in memory of those lost, and held large gatherings in various civic spaces. In Abuja, Nigeria, as part of the International Road Crash Victims Africa Conference, KRSD Trust Fund organized a candlelight procession attended by Alliance staff members, NGOs, government officials, and the general public. In Argentina, Asociación Madres del Dolor organized a “Kite Day” with victims and their families, creating a space for remembrance, community healing, and public visibility for victims’ rights. In India, VIKASH led road safety awareness activities engaging community members and local authorities, reinforcing the need to protect the most vulnerable road users. These activities reflect the heart of the World Day of Remembrance: remembering those lost, supporting those left behind, and demanding safer systems so that future tragedies can be prevented. Explore the full collection of activities by our member NGOs here.

A cross section of participants at the first International Road Crash Victims Africa Conference

First Victim Conference in Africa The first International Road Crash Victims Africa Conference (IRCVAC) took place 16–18 November in Abuja, Nigeria, and brought together crash survivors, NGOs from across the region, government representatives, UN agencies, emergency responders, and private-sector partners to amplify the voices of road-crash victims and strengthen commitments to safer roads and improved post-crash care. Participants joined a World Day of Remembrance candlelight procession, highlighting the urgent need for stronger emergency response systems. Alliance representatives contributed to key panels on data-driven advocacy and safe-speed implementation, alongside 17 Alliance member NGOs. Read more.