Check out our Policy Brief on Education and Road Safety

20 April 2022 - We launched our second policy brief this week, focusing on how Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education connects with road safety and sustainable mobility. The Brief was written by two of our SDG champions, Thiago Gruner (Brazil) and Alex Ayub (Kenya). Check it out if you want to get a better understanding of how road safety and safe mobility influence and affect access to quality education!

We held a soft launch of the Brief this week through an Instagram LIVE hosted by our regional leader, Jacob Smith. Joining Jacob were Local Actions 2021 Winner Linda Nekesa Masibo and Restless Development Advocacy Manager for Livelihoods and Education Alice Mukashyaka.

The speakers talked about the right of every young person to have access to quality education and safe journeys on their way to and from school.

“The Policy Brief is useful to work within your advocacy work in local communities to promote quality education and safe and secure journey to school,” - Jacob Smith 

Giving context to the discussion, Linda talked about her Local Actions project Moving Safe to Hasselt which is a hybrid road safety education and awareness campaign at Hasselt University for international students. The project aimed to increase road traffic knowledge among students and promote a positive attitude and behavior toward road safety and sustainable modes of transport specially focused on students from Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, Albania, Luxembourg, India, and Nigeria who study Transportation Science at the University. 

Linda touched on her experience as an international student, explaining the differences between the road safety situation in Africa and Europe. She shared how the roads on the way to school often put the lives of students at risk, adding an element of fear on their way to school. 

Talking about her work, Alice explained how road safety and education are connected through economic concerns. She expressed how there are young people struggling with obstacles in both their commute and their journeys to school, putting their education at risk. She also highlighted the power of youth. “Youth are changemakers. One of our most recent reports tells us about young people and their resilience to come up with solutions for quality education.”

Our Brief on SDG 4: Quality Education puts special emphasis on the fact that education plays a central role in shaping the future chances of children and youth in their ability to reach their fullest potential. It talks about how the rights of every young person to equal and quality education are often hindered by lack of safety, security, and inclusivity available in the physical school environment. 

The Brief presents key data that reveal how the road traffic injuries and fatalities of young people are linked to their journey to and from school. It furthers that many children and youth are vulnerable to injury on their way to school without adequate protection from asfe infrastructure, legislation, policies, or safe items such as quality helmets for children travelling by bike or motorcycle and quality car seats and seat belts for children travelling by car or bus. 

The Brief presents key data that reveal how the road traffic injuries and fatalities of young people are linked to their journey to and from school. It furthers that many children and youth are vulnerable to injury on their way to school without adequate protection from safe infrastructure, legislation, policies, or safe items such as quality helmets for children traveling by bike or motorcycle and quality car seats and seat belts for children traveling by car or bus. 

The Brief showcases projects implemented by our members through Local Actions. Through the initiative, our members are able to raise awareness of road safety by going to schools and engaging educators and students to talk to them about the general data, key road safety actions, post-crash response, and more. 

Find out more about SDG 4: Quality Education and how it connects with road safety by reading and downloading our Policy Brief!