#SaveKidsLives campaign goes live globally
FIA Foundation-
A major new global campaign - #SaveKidsLives - has been launched worldwide to protect children on the world’s roads.
Hosted at www.savekidslives2015.org, #SaveKidsLives is the official campaign for the Third UN Global Road Safety Week which will take place in May 2015. The focal point of the campaign is a ‘Child Declaration for Road Safety’ which reflects the voices of children around the world, their demands for road safety and concerns when traveling on the roads.
The Declaration is a joint effort between children and experts at the UN Road Safety Collaboration – and as such is a call for policy makers to implement the life saving measures of the Decade of Action for Road Safety. The Declaration is also a call for a target to reduce road fatalities globally to be included in the UN’s post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) so that children everywhere can be kept safe on the world’s roads.
The campaign represents the latest phase of the advocacy push led by the FIA Foundation for a global target on road safety to be included in the SDGs. The new global goals are due to be decided and launched by the UN later in 2015.
The campaign asks people to sign the Declaration, to take a ‘safie’ photo with the campaign signboards to show support, and then around May 2015 to deliver the Declaration to policy makers at all levels around the world. Measures called for in the Declaration include: safe roads allowing children to walk or cycle to school; safe vehicles and school buses with seatbelts and child seats in cars; helmets for children who ride with adults on motorbikes; and action against speeding and drink driving.
The first activities for the #SaveKidsLives campaign began with participants at the Friends of the Decade of Action for Road Safety meeting in Brazil in November signing up and taking photos.
The campaign is open to all –members of the public, schools, community groups, NGOs and organisations around the world are being encouraged to take part, signing the Declaration and sharing ‘safie’ photos on social media ahead of UN Global Road Safety Week which is from 4-10 May 2015. The Declaration will be handed to policy makers by children and campaign supporters worldwide in a global call for action around UN Global Road Safety Week itself.
While the campaigning was underway in Brasilia at the Friends of the Decade of Action meeting, #SaveKidsLives was also being promoted in Asia at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum in Chengdu, China. Photos were taken at a campaign booth and participants were invited to read the Child Declaration, to Sign it and to take a ‘Safie’. Further campaigning events will take place around the world in the coming weeks.
To support the campaign, which has been developed with assistance from the FIA Foundation, together with work from members of the UN Road Safety Collaboration, visit www.savekidslives2015.org
Click here for further information on advocacy for road safety in the post-2015 SDGs
