The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is helping communities across Africa make their streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists, which advocates say is crucial on a continent with the world’s deadliest roads.
In October, UNEP trained representatives from 24 non-profit organizations in 15 African countries on how to campaign for wider pedestrian footpaths, protective bike lanes and other infrastructure that protects vulnerable road users. The training was part of UNEP’s Share the Road Programme and was done in partnership with the Global Alliance of Non-Governmental Organizations for Road Safety.
“Protecting pedestrians and cyclists is an important part of our citywide strategy.”
“It is critical that road safety campaigners, along with city planners and national governments, work more closely together to achieve common goals in ensuring safer streets. This training has helped to build bridges between different agendas and equipped NGOs to influence their local and national agendas in ways that will help cities and rural communities across Africa to be safer, cleaner, and healthier,” said Rob de Jong, Head of Sustainable Mobility Unit at UNEP.
Sub-Saharan Africa reportedly has the highest per capita rate of road fatalities than any region in the world. Preventable road deaths are projected to more than double to 514,000 by 2030. Much of that is linked to the neglect of pedestrian safety. Most countries in Africa still lack policies for protecting vulnerable road users and do not prioritize investment in infrastructure that separates pedestrians and cyclists from high speed traffic.
In a bid to avoid crowded buses and trains, there is a growing awareness of walking and cycling amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research done by Share the Road.
Many African cities have made road safety a key plank of their development plans.
“Protecting pedestrians and cyclists is an important part of our citywide strategy,” said Martin Eshiwani, the director of roads and transport at Nairobi Metropolitan Services in Kenya. “Collaboration between NGOs and governments in Africa can significantly improve road safety and help us to achieve fatality reductions.”
During the recent training sessions, Share the Road worked closely with the African chapter of the Global Alliance of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) for Road Safety. Participants learned how to find data on existing road conditions and how to calculate the cost-effectiveness of safety improvements.
“This training is helping NGOs to push this important agenda with their governments and communities,” said Lotte Brondum, Executive Director for the Alliance.
A new United Nations resolution was adopted at the end of August that incorporates road safety into the Sustainable Development Goals, humanity’s blueprint for a better future. Advocates called that an important step.
“Notably environment, health and equality are closely linked to walking and cycling,” said Brondum. “[The resolution] encourages Member States to promote these active modes of transport.”
The training was conducted from Nairobi where there was both socially distanced face-to-face training and an interactive virtual session.
The UNEP Share the Road Programme supports governments and other stakeholders in developing countries to move away from prioritizing the car-driving minority, towards investing in infrastructure for the majority: those who walk and cycle.
The Global Alliance of Non-Governmental Organizations for Road Safety is a member-based organization with 249 members in 92 countries, including 70 members in 28 countries in Africa. The alliance’s Africa chapter, launched in 2018, unites, equips, and mobilizes members to be a strong, unified voice for evidence-based action to save lives on Africa’s roads. Read more: www.roadsafetyngos.org.
