ROAD SAFETY TRAINING FOR THE AFRICAN REGION
31 October 2022, Cape Town, South Africa – In the framework of the 7th Regional Conference for Africa under the theme Connecting Africa through Smart, Safe and Resilient Roads: Stimulating Growth and Trade on the Continent, UNITAR and CIFAL Durban in collaboration with the South African Roads Federation (SARF), theInternational Road Federation (IRF), the World Road Association (PIARC), offered a training session on innovative practices to optimize road networks, and a training workshop on the Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit, gathering more than 500 delegates from 33 countries, including provincial and local government officials, experts from road agencies, and road authorities and decision-makers. The activities provided useful tools and learnings for regional road safety challenges and brought ideas for improving road networks in Africa.
During the training workshop, participants explored the Toolkit’s methodology and benefited more in-depth through a road safety committee simulation activity. During this practical exercise, participants were divided into groups, and each group had to play a specific role in analyzing, discussing, and proposing solutions for improving high-risk roads with the adoption of corrective measures. At the end of the workshop, UNITAR opened a call for expressions of interest in technical assistance to implement the Toolkit’s methodology in cities.
UNITAR PRESENTS ROAD SAFETY MURAL TO THE CITY OF NEW YORK TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT HIGH-RISK BEHAVIOURS
18 July 2022, New York, USA – Today, UNITAR unveiled a road safety mural offered to New York City. The artwork, curated by Street Art for Mankind (SAM) and created by street artist Dragon76, supports the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021-2030), conveys road safety messages, and envisions a future in which roads are safer places for drivers and pedestrians. The mural was made possible thanks to the support of the AB InBev Foundation and AB InBev. The Chhabra family donated the wall, and the production was facilitated by the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA) and the City of New York Mayor’s Office.
The 5,200 square feet mural aims to raise awareness about the importance of Road Safety by depicting a future in which roads are safer places for drivers and pedestrians. It is located on a stone’s throw from the United Nations NYC Headquarters, on the corner of Tunnel Exit Street and 39th Street in Midtown, New York City. “Road Safety” is a mural depicting a future in which roads are safer for drivers and pedestrians. The mural hopes to create a positive norm and promote choices where safe driving is cool. The mural comes to life in augmented reality with the free mobile app “Behind the Wall,” which will educate on road safety and enable all viewers to take action.
UNITAR AND ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV RENEW PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT TO IMPROVE ROAD SAFETY, SUPPORT FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS, AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE WATER USE
15 July 2022, New York, USA – Today, Mr. Michel Doukeris, Chief Executive Officer of Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), and Mr. Nikhil Seth, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), renewed the partnership agreement between both organizations to continue to improve road safety. They also agreed to develop initiatives focused on women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship and promote sustainable water management practices.
In the past four years of working together, this public-private partnership has offered training, technical assistance, capacity-building, and quality learning resources and tools, to support civil society, local communities, government authorities, enterprises, and other stakeholders to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Since launching in 2018, the UNITAR – AB InBev Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit has reached 30,000 beneficiaries across 122 countries.
UNITAR and AB InBev will continue to work together towards achieving road safety-related global targets, in addition to new initiatives that will use technology to empower female entrepreneurs, improve water management and help change behaviors towards responsible drinking. Supporting female entrepreneurs includes mentoring, international exchange of experiences and knowledge, training, financial resources, and digital solutions. In addition, this partnership will contribute to the Water Action Decade (2018-2028) by strengthening local capacities and developing practical tools to face and tackle water-related challenges.
UNITAR AND THE INTERNATIONAL ROAD FEDERATION OFFER TRAINING TO CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES
17 June 2022, Bridgetown, Barbados – In the framework of the 10th IRF Caribbean Regional Congress “A Roadmap to a Safe and Resilient Road System” between 7 and 10 June 2022, UNITAR, in collaboration with the International Road Federation and AB InBev, offered a training workshop on “Management Practices for Safer Roads”, and an executive session on “Diagnosing and Treating Road Injury Risk”. The Congress gathered more than 250 professionals from 32 countries, including 11 Ministers of Transport, and provided useful tools and learnings to regional road safety challenges and climate-resilient infrastructure.
During the training workshop, participants were introduced to the “Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit” and lessons learned from pilot cities in the Dominican Republic and Brazil, where the Toolkit was implemented. Using the Toolkit’s management methodology, both countries have successfully reduced road traffic fatalities and injuries by gathering and analyzing accident data, identifying crash “hot spots” and improving the highest-risk roads by adopting corrective measures. UNITAR also called for expressions of interest in technical assistance for implementing the Toolkit’s methodology in cities.
PARTNERSHIP FOR ACTION ON ROAD SAFETY – 2021 ANNUAL REPORT
15 February 2022, Geneva, Switzerland – Capacity-building on road safety management is at the core of the work of UNITAR. The Partnership for Action on Road Safety – 2021 Report summarizes some of our training activities and projects aimed at reducing deaths and injuries caused by traffic crashes.
In close collaboration with UNITAR’s network of affiliated “CIFAL” Training Centers worldwide, academic institutions, and the private sector, tools, training, and knowledge-sharing services were provided to 4,835 beneficiaries from around the globe. Some of our tools include:
- The Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit.
- The Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit Mobile App.
- The Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit – The Immersive Virtual Experience.
- Training workshops.
- Online training course on Social Norms aimed at improving road safety – Designing effective behavior change campaigns.
UNITAR’S VIRTUAL IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE AIMS TO CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY EFFORTS
21 September 2021, New York, USA – Improving road safety globally requires solutions that can be implemented consistently over the next decade. UNITAR, the Ministry of Transport of the Federal District of Brazil, and AB InBev gathered in New York to present the “Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit – The Immersive Virtual Experience”.
Through the Virtual Reality experience, UNITAR and AB InBev give participants a glimpse into a management methodology presented in the “Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit.” The toolkit helps conduct road assessments and identify corrective measures to reduce deaths and injuries from road traffic crashes. It uses examples of successful interventions implemented in the Federal District in Brazil to guide users on improving road safety initiatives.
The first Immersive Virtual Experience video showcases the pilot project implemented in the Federal District of Brazil, with nine interventions carried out in five identified high-risk areas (“crash hotspots”). This interactive example showed that achieving road safety targets is possible and requires efforts such as improving existing road infrastructure to benefit all road users, especially the most vulnerable.
THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE ANDEAN COMMUNITY AND UNITAR SIGN A LANDMARK COOPERATION AGREEMENT FOR IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY IN THE REGION
03 August 2021, Geneva, Switzerland – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the General Secretariat of the Andean Community (CAN) signed a cooperation agreement to formalize their joint efforts to provide training and capacity-building for the improvement of road safety in the Andean region.
The agreement was signed by the head of the General Secretariat of the CAN, Mr. Jorge Hernando Pedraza, and the Executive Director of UNITAR, Mr. Nikhil Seth.
The Secretary-General indicated that currently, there are more than 325’000 accidents per year in the CAN, which result in 135’834 people injured and cause the death of 13’424 people. Given this, the Andean Road Safety Strategy is being developed, which seeks to establish a sub-regional action framework that includes public policy guidelines, such as implementing the Driver’s License and the Single Vehicle License Plate, as well as regulating fire-fighting devices.
CONNECTING ASIA-PACIFIC WITH SMART, SAFE, AND RESILIENT ROADS
24 March 2021, Geneva, Switzerland – UNITAR Road Safety Global Training Initiative and the International Road Federation (IRF) joined forces to deliver on the 18th of March 2021 a Master Class on Management Practices for Safer Roads in the framework of the International Road Federation regional conference on Connecting Asia-Pacific with Smart, Safe and Resilient Roads.
During this Master Class, 180 senior government authorities from Ministries of Roads and Public Works, as well as representatives from the private sector, were introduced by UNITAR to the “Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit” and to a successful case study featured in the Toolkit from the city of Gurugram, India.
UNITAR COLLABORATES WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ROAD FEDERATION TO DELIVER MASTERCLASSES
04 December 2020, Geneva, Switzerland – UNITAR’s Road Safety Global Training Initiative and the International Road Federation (IRF) partnered to deliver a series of Master Classes on the “Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit” in the framework of regional conferences.
This successful collaboration with IRF allowed participants to explore more-in-depth the Toolkit with special emphasis on the need to improve the road infrastructure, the importance of law enforcement, the value of partnerships with a collaborative and multi-stakeholder approach to road safety, and everyone’s responsibility as road users to put efforts on making roads safer for all. Both events gathered senior government authorities, representatives, and private sector executives.
LEARNING APP LAUNCHED DURING WORLD DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR ROAD TRAFFIC VICTIMS
17 November 2020, Geneva, Switzerland – UNITAR’s Road Safety Global Training Initiative successfully launched the Learning App on Management Practices for Safer Roads, intending to provide in-hand practical solutions, participatory contributions from different stakeholders, including the private sector, and results-based interventions.
The Learning App is based on the Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit, featuring projects and local interventions in cities in Brazil, China, Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, and South Africa. This Toolkit, available now on mobile devices, will greatly benefit organizations and governments that wish to positively impact road safety. The management methodology presented in the App and in the toolkit has been donated by AB InBev for the use of governments and road users worldwide.
The Launch Event of the Learning App hosted by UNITAR and the International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders in Istanbul (CIFAL Istanbul) took place on 12 November 2020 with 122 representatives from the public and private sectors, academia, and NGOs.