Empowering Youth for Safer Roads and Sustainable Development: SDG Summit 2023

The upcoming 2023 SDG Summit is set to take place from September 18 to 19 at the UN Headquarters in New York. Development partners from across the world will be participating in the SDGs’ Week Of Action from 16-24 September 2023, presenting a remarkable opportunity to effect meaningful change. 

This year, YOURS - Youth For Road Safety is sending two exceptional young leaders from the Global Youth Coalition For Road Safety’s Youth Leadership Board to represent youth voices at the 2023 SDG Summit.  

Meet the young leaders representing YOURS at the SDG summit:

Alison De Beaufort, USA.

Alison Collard de Beaufort is the North American representative on the Youth Leadership Board for the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety. She works as a Vision Zero for Youth advocacy team member under the National Center for Safe Routes to School, and is the founder of the Vision Zero Youth Council (VZYC) - a 100% youth-led organization dedicated to educating youth in our communities about road safety and empowering them to become vocal advocates of the issue.

Oliva Nalwadda, Uganda

Oliva is a researcher, public health advocate, and founder of Uzima Ari Uganda, an organization currently fast-tracking the realization of SDGs 3, 4, and 13. Oliva also currently serves as a Youth Leadership Board Member of the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety and FIA Foundation Child Health Initiative Youth Ambassador. She is also a public heath practitioner with over six years of experience in design and implementation of youth-centered programs in areas of reproductive
and mental health, climate change, empowerment, and advocacy.

YOURS and the Youth Coalition are collaborating with Unlock The Future Coalition, Fia Foundation, United Nations Foundation, and YMCA to elevate youth perspectives in crucial decision-making dialogues. The Summit will highlight and further strengthen our commitment to placing the youth and road safety messages at the forefront of efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It is vital to understand that road safety extends beyond the reduction of road crashes and road fatalities; it encompasses the fundamental right of individuals to access education, healthcare, and economic opportunities without constant fear for their lives. Safer roads directly contribute to several SDGs, notably SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Regrettably, road safety remains an overlooked facet of development despite its undeniable correlation with the creation of a safer and more sustainable world. 

The SDG Summit 2023 shines a spotlight on young leaders, acknowledging them as the driving force for change and advocating for their substantive participation in the national commitments concerning road safety and SDG initiatives. 

The YOURS delegation will participate in several side events, bilateral meetings, and networking spaces, along with partners with a call to action to Member States on involving and investing in youth as a core principle for the implementation of the national commitments.

“We will ensure that young people from all backgrounds are at the heart of decision-making processes and improve meaningful representation for all young people, including those most impacted by discrimination and inequality.” (Unlock Coalition Commitment)

During UNGA78, the SDG Summit, Member States need to commit to prioritising meaningful youth engagement in the policymaking process to accelerate the SDGs targets. Thematic discussions will delve deep into areas such as health, climate action, sustainable cities, gender equality, quality education, and investment in youth-led initiatives. At the Global Coalition, we got you covered, and we have been publishing policy briefs,  showcasing the power of collaboration and innovation within these critical domains. 

YOURS and Youth  Coalition’s participation at the SDG Summit will highlight the remarkable contributions of young leaders and organizations in advancing sustainable mobility and the interconnected SDGs. The "Youth Road Safety Advocates at the SDG Summit 2023" is not merely a gathering of young minds; it is a loud and clear call to action to world leaders to prioritize financing for safer,  sustainable and inclusive transport systems. It also serves as a potent reminder that youth possess a voice, a voice capable of driving change, enhancing road safety, and furthering the attainment of the SDGs. 

In anticipation of her participation, Alison said, "I would like to spotlight SDG 10, Reduced Inequalities, as it has strong ties to road safety through gender issues, affordable transportation, access to jobs/school/opportunities, air quality/physical health, and Meaningful Youth Participation. Through my participation I would like to urge decision makers to make public transportation more accessible for those with disabilities and more affordable and safer for women."

This Summit stands as a testament to the belief that our future rests in capable hands – the hands of a generation that is passionate, innovative, and unwavering in their commitment to creating a safer and more sustainable world for all. Together, they are steering change, one road at a time.