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Global Newsletter September 2019 |
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Dear Friends and Supporters, In September, AIP Foundation traveled to different regions across the globe to work with road safety advocates and collaborate over injury prevention policies, programs, and strategies. We headed to Singapore to join representatives from automobile associations from across the Asia Pacific at the FIA Training Program on Policy Advocacy in Singapore, where we explored tools and techniques related to policy advocacy. In Delft, Netherlands, AIP Foundation attended the 2019 Delft Road Safety Course and partnered with other road safety leaders to develop road safety initiatives and adapt road safety strategies to local conditions. We also headed over for a two-week Global Road Safety Leadership Course (GRSLC) in Maryland, United States, to discuss road safety risk factors, the importance of enforcement, and the value of urban design for creating safer roads. AIP Foundation wrapped up the month in Adelaide, Australia, where we joined hundreds of researchers, enforcement agencies, policymakers, and educators and presented on distracted driving at the Australasian Road Safety Conference. In our program countries, we have been busy mobilizing to support local stakeholders. In Vietnam, we joined thousands on the streets of Hanoi to promote child helmet use through an advocacy walking event. In China, we supported teachers in our program schools in Xuanhan County by discussing the results of our ongoing Walk Wise program and conducting training workshops on teaching methods which promote positive behaviors in classrooms. September has also been a month for leveraging partners to promote awareness and discussion. We brought together 350 leaders for the 2nd Annual Conference for Road Safety in Cambodia and joined the discussion on garment and factory worker commute safety during the “Translating Strategy to Action” industry seminar in Phnom Penh. In Vietnam, we worked with the British Embassy and Consulate General to educate community members on proper motorbike and helmet safety, promoting awareness among charity runners in Ho Chi Minh City and local residents in Hanoi. The latest UN Secretary-General’s report on improving global road safety submitted to the UN General Assembly during its 74th Session Meeting in September includes mention of AIP Foundation. The report describes global and regional activities carried out in support of the Decade of Action for Road Safety and provides key road safety recommendations. We are excited for what the upcoming months hold and look forward to your continued engagement and support. For more information on our activities, achievements, and related road crash intervention news, please read on. Kind regards, Mirjam Sidik
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Table of Contents |
Global |
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Vietnam |
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Cambodia |
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Thailand |
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China |
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Employment Opportunities
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Global |
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AIP Foundation joins automobile associations at FIA Training Program on Policy Advocacy in Singapore
AIP Foundation joined automobile association representatives and road safety advocates from across the Asia Pacific to attend a training on advocacy and policy at the FIA Region II Club Development Program on Policy & Persuasion in Singapore. The training was co-hosted by the Federation Internationale d’Automobile (FIA) and Curtin University and provided road safety stakeholders with an opportunity to explore tools and techniques on advocacy in their respective countries. Other organizations represented at the training included the automobile associations of Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, India, and other members of FIA Region II across the Asia Pacific. The training explored innovative topics and methods for policy advocacy, including strategic action planning and storytelling techniques in the digital age. The event featured high-level speakers, including the former Secretary for Transport of New Zealand, Martin Matthews, who shared his insights on government advocacy and future innovations in transportation infrastructure. Organizations also had the opportunity to share their own best practices at the training. AIP Foundation presented on Slow Zones, Safe Zones, a multi-pronged road safety program currently being implemented in Pleiku City, Gia Lai province, Vietnam. Slow Zones, Safe Zones is supported by Fondation Botnar and the Global Road Safety Partnership and aims to reduce speed in school zones. The program utilizes a combination of government advocacy, community education, infrastructure modifications, and public awareness-raising campaigns to address the issue of speeding in this target province. Since the launch of the program in April 2018, Slow Zones, Safe Zones has successfully advocated for speed reductions at target schools consisting of more than 2,245 students from 50km/h to 30 km/h and 60 km/h to 40 km/h, among other results. See more photos from the training here. |
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AIP Foundation travels to Delft, Netherlands to attend 2019 Delft Road Safety Course
AIP Foundation attended the 2019 Delft Road Safety Course, held at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands to join other stakeholders, advocates, and leaders in capacity building exercises and to collaborate on the development of road safety initiatives. The course provided participants with an overview of the global health and development burden of road safety, including information on key risk groups and behaviors. As part of the program’s capacity building efforts, participants learned how to design a road safety strategy and action plan utilizing road safety performance targets. The two-week training course also featured sessions on awareness campaigns and analyzing and interpreting data, in addition to excursions in Amsterdam to learn more about infrastructure through a hands-on approach. AIP Foundation Program Manager for Helmet Safety in Vietnam, Trang Truong, presented on the road safety crisis in Vietnam and discussed our ongoing interventions and activities. The Delft Road Safety Courses (DRSC) seeks to build the capacity of road safety professionals in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), and is a cooperation between Delft University of Technology, SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research, and Delft Post Graduate Education and Road Safety for All. The Delft Road Safety Courses are supported by the FIA Foundation. |
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Building leadership capacity through the Global Road Safety Leadership Course in Baltimore, Maryland
AIP Foundation traveled to Baltimore, Maryland to attend the Global Road Safety Leadership Course (GRSLC), a two-week residential training program which aims to build leadership capacities around designing, advocating, and implementing effective road safety programs and policies. The course is coordinated and delivered by the Global Road Safety Partnership, in partnership with Johns Hopkins University’s International Injury Research Unit (JH-IIRU), and supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. With a focus on key leadership principles, the GRSLC explored topics centered on the five pillars of focus for the Decade of Action for Road Safety, including road safety risk factors, the role of enforcement, post-crash measurement and case studies, urban design, safer vehicles, and strategic communications and behavior change campaigns. AIP Foundation Monitoring and Evaluation Senior Coordinator, Linh Pham, was selected to attend and worked in a small group of representatives to develop leadership skills and learn to design and advocate for effective road safety programs and policies. "After participating in this course and learning from other road safety colleagues from different countries and backgrounds, I feel that my knowledge has become more comprehensive. I am confident this training enhanced my leadership capacity to optimally address road safety issues in low- and middle-income countries in order to reduce deaths and serious injuries around the world," Ms. Pham stated. Each year, the Global Road Safety Leadership Course is offered in a regional location, as well as on campus at the JH-IIRU in Baltimore, United States. Each course welcomes 65 participants, primarily drawn from partner organizations from within the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), as well as key personnel from government agencies, civil society organizations and Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies who are actively engaged in road safety activities. |
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Related News: UN Road Safety Fund plans $4 million grant round for ‘immediate impact’
The UN Road Safety Fund’s Advisory Board has approved plans to launch its first formal Call for Proposals for road traffic injury interventions with ‘immediate and tangible impact’. Meeting at UN headquarters in Geneva on 3rd September the Fund’s board – including the FIA Foundation – agreed that the Fund will disburse US $4 million to finance selected projects aimed at contributing to reduce global road traffic fatalities, giving priority to individual country and multi-country projects having immediate and tangible impact. The call is expected to officially open in early October 2019, when details on funding parameters and application process will be published on the Fund’s web page. Read the entire article on the UN Road Safety Fund grant here. |
Vietnam |
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AIP Foundation visits five hospitals across Ho Chi Minh City to distribute 6,400 informative hand fans
AIP Foundation coordinated five hospital visits during the week of September 4-9 to distribute 6,400 informative hand fans to patients at Cho Ray, Nha Be, Hoc Mon, Cu Chi and Nhi Dong 2 hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City through the Helmets for Families program, sponsored by Abbott. The hand fans contained useful tips and information including instructions on how to wear a helmet properly, how to identify the safety features of a standard helmet, and a list of sanctions for people who break the law by failing to wear a helmet. The fan distribution event was preceded by a visit to Cho Ray Hospital earlier this year in March to engage health professionals with parents and teachers from program schools. Participants visited road crashes victims who have suffered from brain injuries and saw firsthand the importance of proper helmet use while driving or riding on a motorcycle. You can read more about the visit and workshop here. View more photos from the hand fan distribution event here. |
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Thousands mobilize on the streets for the "Wear Helmets for Children" Call For Advocacy Event
AIP Foundation's "Wear Helmets for Children" Call For Advocacy Walking Event, which took place on Ho Guom street in Hanoi, Vietnam, received overwhelming support from the local community with more than 3,000 first-grade students and 3,000 parents in attendance to support the Prime Minister’s directive, which aims for over 80% of children in Vietnam to wear a standard helmet when riding a motorbike or electric bicycle by 2020. The event was hosted by the National Traffic Safety Committee, the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Hanoi People’s Committee. The day began with children’s performances to welcome distinguished guests and featured introductory speeches by several government officials. Nguyen Duc Chung, Chairman of the Hanoi People Committee, and Phung Xuan Nha, Minister of Education and Training, initiated the ceremony and participated in the signing of a coordination program which will promote traffic safety education in schools between 2019-2024. Following the signing agreement, Truong Hoa Binh, Standing Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of National Traffic Safety Committee, urged children and parents to remember to wear their helmets. Twenty first-grade students also participated onstage in the official helmet handover ceremony, while parents wore helmets to symbolize their commitment to children’s safety. Distinguished guests and officials present at the event included Ms. Truong Thi Mai, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Central Commission for Public Affairs; Nguyen Van The, Minister of Transport; Khuat Viet Hung, Deputy Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee; Mr. Kunjo Umeda, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam; and Colonel Do Thanh Binh, Deputy Director of Traffic Police Department, Ministry of Public Security. The 500-meter walk started at Ly Thai To Monument and ended at Kamikaze Monument. The event concluded with commitment signing and a call-to-action for children and parents to commit to wearing helmets. Ms. Mirjam Sidik, CEO of AIP Foundation, Ms. Tran Le Thu, Operations Manager of UPS Vietnam, and Mr. Keisuke Tsuruzono, General Manager of Honda, joined hands in walking with students and parents, symbolizing their commitment to road crash prevention. Luong Thuy Linh, Miss World Vietnam, and artists including Lan Huong, Bao Thanh, and Xuan Bac, also attended the event to show their support in promoting helmet wearing among children in Vietnam. View more photos from the event here. |
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British Embassy in Hanoi hosts "Know Safety, No Accidents" Event
The British Embassy in Hanoi recently hosted an intimate discussion on motorbike safety in Vietnam for local Vietnamese residents and British nationals. The event provided participants with the opportunity to receive helmet safety checks, network with British motorbike tour leaders, and meet the Consular Team in Hanoi at The Kneipe in Tay Ho District, Hanoi. AIP Foundation was invited to speak about our mission of delivering life-saving interventions across our program countries, as well as the global traffic crisis. AIP Foundation staff also presented information on how to travel safely in Vietnam by motorcycle. A representative from our partner, Protec, a social enterprise dedicated to providing affordable, high-quality motorcycle helmets, then led a session on criteria for evaluating helmets and demonstrated to audience members how to properly choose safe, quality helmets. Other speakers also included experts from Family Medical Practice, L'Hôpital Français de Hanoi, Bach Mai Hospital, Onyabike Adventures, and AIP Foundation. The session was a casual, but informative networking opportunity, and covered a wide range of topics about road safety in Vietnam, from understanding current traffic safety measures to receiving proper medical care in the event of a crash. As part of the event, participants further pledged to make safety while riding motorbikes a priority and to encourage others to do the same. |
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Parent training workshop through Child Car Seat Initiative educates parents on child car safety
AIP Foundation collaborated with the Hanoi Traffic Safety Committee (TSC) and the Ha Dong Bureau of Education and Training (BoET), with the support of the FIA Foundation, to host a parent training workshop on child car safety. Over 250 participants attended the workshop, including Mr. Ta Duc Giang, Deputy Chief of Secretariat from Hanoi TSC, Mr. Le Huy Tri, PhD, Associate Professor from the People's Police Academy, Mr. Bach Ngoc Loi, Deputy Head of Student Affair's Department of the Ha Dong BoET, Mr. Luu Xuan Binh, Executive Committee Member of Vietnam Traffic Safety Association, Mrs. Dinh Kim Phuong, National Program Manager, AIP Foundation, and representatives of teachers and parents from 37 primary schools in the Ha Dong district. The workshop covered a number of safety tips for children on car, drawing from material created through the FIA Child Safety Toolkit. The workshop emphasized the proper use and importance of seat belts for children. Parents and other representatives learned about the importance of protecting children on vehicles, including school buses, drawing from one tragic case of a student's death after being left unsupervised on a school bus. Dr. Tri of the People's Police Academy explained to the audience how they can ensure that students remain safe and travel safely on school buses, including measures to escape from a school bus in case of emergency. See more photos of the parent training workshop here. |
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AIP Foundation hosts helmet giveaway with British Consulate General at 2019 BBGV Charity Fun Run
AIP Foundation joined the British Consulate General at the British Business Group Vietnam (BBGV) 19th Fun Run for Charity in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. At our booth, we hosted a helmet raffle giveaway and tested runners on their road safety knowledge with a “KnowSafetyNoAccident” quiz. Over 80 participants entered the raffle by playing our spinning wheel quiz game and learning more about helmet legislation, road crash statistics, and other information on road safety in Vietnam and worldwide. Two lucky raffle entry winners received a free high-quality Protec helmet from AIP Foundation and had the opportunity to meet Mr. Ian Gibbons, Consul General of the United Kingdom in Ho Chi Minh City, during the helmet handover. The BBGV Fun Run for Charity has raised over 11 billion VND for charities across Vietnam since its inception in 2000. In 2018, the charity fun run saw 11,000 runners and walkers take part. See more photos of our booth and winners here. |
Cambodia |
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350 leaders come together for the 2nd Annual Conference for Road Safety in Cambodia
The Second Annual Conference for Road Safety in Cambodia brought together policymakers, concerned government bodies, non-governmental organizations, private sector, media, and road safety advocates in support of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over 350 delegates convened at Himawari Hotel in Phnom Penh on September 4-5, 2019, to discuss practical strategies, exchange information, and participate in breakout sessions to review current road safety plans, and share their recommendations for the future of road crash prevention. The conference was hosted by AIP Foundation and the Coalition for Road Safety (CRY), in coordination with the National Road Safety Committee (NRSC). The key focus and theme centered on addressing Cambodia’s “Eight Pillars” of Road Safety: safe road users, safe infrastructure, better road management, safer vehicles, improved emergency medical assistance, law amendment and enforcement, expansive driver licensing and management, and evaluation of passenger and goods transport services. Sessions covered challenges and costs associated with road crashes, as well as key interventions to implement, in regards to progressing towards Cambodia’s decade of road safety goals. The conference discussed Cambodia’s previous success in other sectors and how they can be applied to road safety, as well as media engagement, the role of transport companies, private sector, and civil society’s role in improving road safety. Pagna Kim, Country Director of AIP Foundation, who hosted several sessions at the conference on helmet safety, speeding, and distracted driving, expressed, “Especially when the situation in Cambodia has reached the point that at least 5 lives are lost and 13 more are seriously injured in road crashes each day, identifying countermeasures is much needed. The recommendations made at this conference will help lay a foundation for the future of effective road crash prevention.” Read the Press Release and view more photos from the conference. |
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Slow Zones, Safe Zones highlight results presented at the 2nd Annual Conference for Road Safety in Cambodia
AIP Foundation presented mid-term highlight results of the Slow Zones, Safe Zones program, a speed reduction program in Pleiku City, Vietnam, that began in April 2018 and will conclude in March 2020, at the Second Annual Conference for Road Safety in Cambodia. Slow Zones, Safe Zones uses a multi-pronged approach to reduce speed through constructing tailored school zone modifications, implementing public awareness campaigns, piloting a nationally-applicable road safety e-curriculum, enforcing speed limits in school zones, and advocating for legislative change. In Vietnam, 25% of road crashes are caused by speeding. Through post-implementation vehicle speed measurements, preliminary speed results show that the average speed of motorcycles around the pilot schools was reduced by an average of 5 km/hour, the average speed of cars reduced by 11 km/hour, and larger vehicles, such as buses, showed reductions of almost 20 km/hour. The audience members were active participants in the discussion, raising questions about the enforcement component, as well as the Star Ratings for Schools Assessment and e-curriculum development. The Second Annual Conference for Road Safety in Cambodia brought together policymakers, concerned government bodies, non-governmental organizations, private sector, media, and road safety advocates in support of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read more about the conference here. Read the Press Release and view more photos from the conference. |
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"Translating Strategy to Action" garment and footwear factory industry seminar held in Cambodia
The Transportation Working Group (TWG), a group of committed brands, factory managers, and development partners seeking to address the significant health and safety risks that factory workers face on their daily commute, met together for a one-day seminar to discuss strategies and actions for improving commuting safety for Cambodia’s garment and footwear sector workers. The seminar took place at the Himawari Hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and was coordinated by Better Factories Cambodia (BFC), GIZ, and The Solidarity Center. Currently, more than 700,000 factory workers provide the labor for Cambodia’s US$7.3 billion export sector. However, the safeguards in place to promote workers’ transport safety remain low, with workers at risk on their daily commutes due to inexperienced road users lacking sufficient driver education, low helmet use, unsafe and overloaded vehicles, unenforced vehicle standards not enforced, increasingly heavy traffic, and poor infrastructure. In 2016, there were 4,451 reported commuting crash cases in Cambodia, or more than 12 workers injured per day, and a total of 43 worker fatalities that year. To promote discussion around factory workers’ transport safety, the industry seminar began with an overview of key initiatives and achievements, including government initiatives to educate transportation providers and workers and increase driver licensing, as well as outcomes from a one-year pilot program implemented by AIP Foundation in five factories, which reached a total of 24,773 people. During the seminar, stakeholders assessed progress made since the Transportation Working Group launched the Garment and Footwear Sector Road Safety Strategy in January 2018, in collaboration with the Royal Government of Cambodia and other stakeholders. The strategy outlines four focus areas: improved road safety management and accountability, safer infrastructure and planning, safer vehicles and modes of transport, and safer road users. Representatives from the Solidarity Center, VF Corporation, and the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, also moderated discussions on how to improve access to sustainable and safe transportation options for workers. Private sector, development, and government representatives further shared information on future initiatives that will contribute to a multi-sector approach to improving safety. View more photos from the seminar here. |
Thailand |
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Panthera Group distributes 1,000 high-quality helmets to students in Thailand
Panthera Group co-founders, Mr. Michael T. Doherty and Mr. Paul Hayward, recently distributed 1,000 high-quality helmets to students in Thailand through our Helmets for Kids program, which aims to increase helmet use among children, teachers, and parents to reduce their risk of head injury. Mr. Doherty and Mr. Hayward joined students at Chumchon Mooban Pattana School in Klong Toey District, Bangkok for a symbolic helmet handover ceremony, where 500 helmets were distributed to students at Mooban Pattana School, Wat Saphan School, Wat Klongtei School, and Sun Ruam Namchai School. An additional 500 helmets were sent to students across 6 schools in Phuket, Thailand. During the helmet handover ceremony, students learned to properly use helmets by watching other students’ performances and onstage helmet demonstrations. The students also participated in various games and activities, through which they learned about the importance of safe road behavior and about the dangers of failing to wear a helmet. The event marks the first helmet distribution by Panthera Group through AIP Foundation's Helmets for Kids program. Mr. Doherty stated, “The Helmets for Kids program ensures that communities in need have access to quality helmets and life-saving road safety education. Panthera Group has donated 1,000 helmets today because we recognize the importance of saving every single young life. The number of road fatalities in Thailand is truly inexcusable, at some of the highest rates in the world. We feel that we need to step up and help protect children’s lives.” See more photos of the helmet handover ceremony here. |
China |
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Walk Wise concludes 2018-2019 school year with teacher training workshop
AIP Foundation China wrapped up a successful 2018-2019 school year of Walk Wise programming with a teacher training workshop in Nanba Town, Xuanhan County. The Walk Wise program aims to improve the safety of road users through community education, school-based road safety education, road safety treatments, and capacity-building measures, and has been implemented in Nanba Town since 2017. Teachers and safety directors from each of the 17 Walk Wise program schools across the county were invited to attend, in addition to representatives from two potential future program schools for the upcoming 2019-2020 school year of the Walk Wise program. Over 30 school representatives attended the training workshop to discuss Walk Wise evaluation results and learn about positive discipline methods to improve their teaching skills and attitudes. AIP Foundation China recruited an experienced expert in "positive discipline" from Chengdu, Sichuan Province to support the teacher training. Participants learned about the concept, tools, and methods of teaching through positive discipline and played games which promoted their understanding of the teaching method. Positive discipline is a model used by schools to promote positive behaviors among students through positive reinforcement. A representative from the Department of Education commended the positive discipline approach and expressed support of its application in education. During the training workshop, AIP Foundation China Country Manager, Xiaoyan Xu, and Project Coordinator, Youde Tang, discussed evaluation results and plans for the upcoming 2019-2020 school year. The impact of Walk Wise on the target communities has been significant: in a post-program survey conducted in 2019 in Xuanhan County with 316 students, the percentage of primary students who always wear a helmet when riding motorcycles or electronic bicycle increased from 29.9% to 53.3%. For 222 drivers transporting primary school students on their motorcycles or electric bicycle, this figure increased from 34.7% to 57.3%. Since the launch of Walk Wise in 2017, the program has directly benefited a total of 25,559 students, 422 teachers, and 32,335 parents and community members across 17 program schools in Nanba Town. See more photos of the engaging teacher workshop here. |
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