Advocacy and Campaigns Toolkit

Changing Lanes: Youth Driving the Movement for Safer Mobility

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Dear Young Advocate, You are here because you care deeply about the world and have most likely witnessed first-hand the impact of road crashes on communities. We know that you want to learn how to advocate effectively for road safety and sustainable mobility. We welcome you on your change-making journey and expect that through this toolkit you will learn many impactful advocacy and campaigning techniques. YOURS - Youth for Road Safety developed this toolkit to support members of the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety and young change-makers worldwide in advocating for safer and more sustainable mobility systems. We are looking ahead of to the 4th Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, which will take place in Marrakech in early 2025, but that cannot be the end of the journey. In light of the recent Global Status Report on Road Safety (2023), young people are still the most impacted group by this man-made epidemic: road traffic crashes. Your passion for change and improving your community's local road safety situation will contribute to impactful policy changes that will save the lives of young people just like you and by extension all road users.In this toolkit, will also learn valuable techniques for understanding and mapping meaningful youth participation, and crucially, grasp the policy-making processes of design, implementation, and accountability.

We encourage you to use these advocacy and campaign tools as a practical guide to enhance your already existing advocacy skills, demonstrate new knowledge, understand how to gain public support, and mobilise your community. This toolkit will enable you to grow your skills and knowledge to influence road safety policy-making and engage with different road safety stakeholders throughout your advocacy journey. As a young leader, you are valuable; you are the present and the future, and your demands for change and investment in sustainable mobility, health and well-being, climate action, and the Sustainable Development Agenda are the solutions that world leaders seek and need. The world’s journey to a sustainable and inclusive future starts with you and young people like you. It is normal to feel frustrated and run out of patience, but we should learn to adapt and be flexible. The journey matters as much as the end goal. Remember, it is always about the end goal: contributing to saving lives and creating more sustainable mobility systems.Let’s keep on #ClaimingOurSpace on the way to the 4th Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in 2025 and beyond!

Welcome Letter

Acknowledgements and Credits

Thanks for being here!

main Contents

Get started on your road to action!

main Contents

Get started on your road to action!

This guide is designed to be a handy and interactive resource for young advocates worldwide. It contains multiple tools developed by key road safety partners to enhance your advocacy efforts to promote road safety and sustainable mobility from local to global levels.

How Do You Use This Toolkit in Your Advocacy Journey?

What is advocacy?

What are Campaigns?

Deconstructing Four Road Safety Myths

1. Introduction

deconstructing four road safety myths

‘Youth Are The Problem'

'Road fatalities are a human mistake'

'Road safety is not a connected issue'

'there is a lack of investment'

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2. policy making process 101

understanding policy making in road safety

What road safety policies are or are not in place at your local level? Find out what to advocate for

Learn how norms and public opinions can help shape policies

4. Road Safety Currently

2. Norms & public support

1. what is it?

What makes policy happen? Learn about the global and local approach, what policies are and how they work in different legal systems.

5. structures to amplify your voice

The different bodies and movements that can help us get the word out.

LET's GETINFORMED!

3. global frameworks

What's decided at the global level impacts what happens locally. Learn what the current global frameworks are for road safety.

6. The road to morroco

The Global Youth Ambassador Panel will shape the 2025 Global Youth Statement for Road Safety.

DOn't forgetto check outthe case studies!

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Getting our head out the clouds to on the ground action!

policy making process 101

what is it and how does it happen?

Legislative frameworks are the sets of laws, regulations, and policies that govern various aspects of society and the economy. These can be global and/or local, and they have effects on different levels of administration.

Global Legislative Frameworks

• These international laws and guidelines apply across multiple countries, and are often established by international organisations like the United Nations (UN). • They aim to address issues that transcend national borders, such as climate change, human rights, trade, and security.

Global and Local Legislative Framework on Road Safety

Local Legislative Frameworks

Public Policies

• Are a set of guidelines and funding priorities made by the government or other national or local decision-makers that drive public action (UNHABITAT- UNICEF, 2023).

• The policies linked to road safety and sustainable mobility include social, environmental, health, urban and transportation guidelines.

policy making process 101

THE ROLE OF NORMS AND PUBLIC SUPPORT

Social norms and public support are pivotal in shaping societal behaviours and influencing policy outcomes. Social norms are the unwritten rules that govern the behaviour of individuals within a group, society, or culture. They provide guidelines for acceptable and expected behaviour, which, in turn, helps to maintain order and predictability within societies. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2013), social norms are implicit rules or standards inferred by individuals from the behaviour they observe or expectations they assume in their social context that guide their behaviour. Laws and regulations can change the social meaning attributed to certain behaviours and can also change individual behaviour. Behaviour can be changed by requiring certain actions, such as wearing a seatbelt, or by requiring people to refrain from certain actions, such as drinking and driving. For such laws or regulations to be passed, lawmakers and regulatory bodies must be motivated to act and manifest political will. As a young advocate, you must join efforts with allies to understand the policy discussion around road safety and sustainable mobility in your country and identify where there is a possible gap either in the legislative framework (laws, policies, standards), the regulations or in the policy implementation, budget allocation (investment) financial or human resources to carry out the plan/strategy. But this is not an impossible task! This Toolkit offers you information about the existing legal frameworks and the role you can play in social accountability.

CASE STUDY: Fortaleza, Brazil

policy making process 101

GLOBAL FRAMWEWORKS

The World Health Assembly (WHA) and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) are crucial in developing and promoting global road safety policy instruments like resolutions, declarations, UN Conventions, SDGs, and high-level meeting declarations. However, those instruments signed by the Member States are generally not binding; they only set the tone for a national policy framework on road safety and sustainable mobility.

Read about the global plan

policy making process 101

The current state of road safety

Road Safety national policies are based on the Global Plan and contain local strategic priorities and action plans to improve road safety and sustainable mobility at both local and national levels.

Based on the latest Global Status Report on Road Safety (2023), only 84 countries appointed a road safety agency, 117 countries declared national road safety strategies, and almost 16 of these have been funded.

Remember to check out the status of your country. This way you will also learn if any lead agency or national strategy is in place. You can review the countries' profiles or use the Global Status Report App to get the latest data related to your country.Data from across the world about the five policies on user behaviour (Speed, Drink and Drive, Seatbelt use, Child Restraint System use, Helmet use) shows that 140 countries have one of these laws, and 23 have updated their laws to meet WHO requirements; however, only five countries have all five laws part of WHO best practices (WHO, 2023).

Guiding Principles and Cross-Cutting Pillars

policy making process 101

Structures to Amplify your voice

In this section you can explore different bodies, observatories, and movements at the global, regional, and national levels that could support your advocacy efforts for road safety and sustainable mobility. We have also compiled some examples from around the world, and you will find some key actions you can take at the end of the chapter.

National, Regional, and City Observatories for Road Safety

CASE STUDY: THE GLOBALYOUTH COALITION FOR ROAD SAFETY

CASE STUDY: MEXICAN NATIONAL COALITION FO ROAD SAFETY

policy making process 101

THE ROAD TO MOROCCO: YOUTH AMBASSADORS

The Global Youth Ambassador Panel will shape the 2025 Global Youth Statement for Road Safety. The participants will lead the drafting process, incorporate feedback, and plan the Statement's presentation at the World Youth Assembly for broad endorsement and ratification.By fostering strategic partnerships, the ambassadors will strengthen relationships with key stakeholders. Additionally, the process will empower the ambassadors, equipping them with advocacy and leadership skills and amplifying global road safety advocacy efforts to ensure youth perspectives are integrated into policies and strategies.

What can you do as a young leader?

‘I am truly honoured to be part of this panel. Creating a global impact has always been my passion, and this opportunity allows me to do so alongside your esteemed team and fellow youth leaders. I look forward to working together to make a meaningful difference.’- Maryam Bello, Global Youth Ambassador

CASE STUDY: youth ambassadors

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3. Let’s Get Hands-On!

As explained before, policies can be national and subnational, but their development is always based on five phases, summarised in the graphic. The process development and implementation, though, depends if the policies will be for a national or subnational context. Still, the participation of young leaders in the overall process will be essential to address the 50 percent reduction target of road traffic injuries by 2030. In this section, you will learn more about each phase and what activities you could do as a young advocate to influence road safety policy discussions. Click each process number on the left to explore.

Source: YOURS, Adaptation from Child-Responsive Urban Policies, Laws and Standards: A Guidance. UN-Habitat & UNICEF, 2023.

Concrete PHASES for Policy Analysis

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1. FEASIBILITY

• Check the existing regulations, plans and institutions on road safety. Understand what needs to be done by the government to improve road safety: Passing a law? Creating a government agency for road safety? Designing a permanent participation mechanism for youth on road safety?
• Build the case of Meaningful Youth Engagement in road safety, urban, transport, and health policies. Use the Self-Assessment scorecard and other tools provided in the YOURS Policymakers toolkit.
• Find a systematic mechanism inside the policymaking process at the national or subnational level (committees, working groups, council) that allows space for meaningful dialogue and young people's involvement.

Actions

• Develop a SWOT Analysis: Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat to an existing policy at national or subnational level, so you can define gaps and priority areas; and make suggestions regarding youth involvement in policy mechanisms.
• Establish partnerships with stakeholders both outside and inside the participatory mechanism involving young people to ensure they could contribute to the political discussion and policymaking process related to road safety and sustainable mobility.

This phase creates a case for a policy by assessing the existing legal, policy, and institutional frameworks, as well as stakeholder capacity and interactions in policy formulation and implementation (UN-Habitat & UNICEF, 2023).

Concrete PHASES for Policy Analysis

Download Policy Maker's Toolkit

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2. Diagnostic

• Conduct Youth-Led research about road safety and interrelated SDGs. Identify the challenges facing youth and potential solutions that engage them.
• Prepare a set of recommendations with Youth-Led solutions for road safety.
• Present the evidence-based findings to the participatory mechanism body and inform the political discussion on sustainable mobility, health, and climate.

Actions

As part of the diagnostic phase, decision-makers collect evidence-based data about road safety and sustainable mobility challenges at national or city levels for analysis and information. It’s an important milestone during which youth consultations, focus groups, and youth reports can be developed and delivered to decision-makers for policy discussion.

Concrete PHASES for Policy Analysis

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3. FORMULATION

• Develop youth-led and evidence-based policy solutions to contribute to a national or city vision of road safety and sustainable mobility.
• Demand a youth component to be incorporated into the policy.
• Promote government support for youth-led projects that are part of the national or local strategy with available resources.
• Foster a clear framework for coordination between stakeholders to implement youth-friendly urban transport and health policies, with roles and responsibilities for each output.
• Advocate for budgetary or resource reallocation to implement sustainable mobility solutions with and for young people as part of the plan.

Actions

This phase corresponds to the policy design process. The policy statements are made based on the discussions held in the previous two phases.

A policy should include priority areas, goals, objectives, and interventions that will support overcoming the challenges related to road safety, such as traffic calming issues, infrastructure for active mobility, among others. Another important point is to reallocate available resources (financial, human, institutional, and enforcement) to support the implementation.

Concrete PHASES for Policy Analysis

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4. ImPLEMENTATION

• Follow up on how resources are being allocated and invested.
• Foster working groups to support the implementation of the action plan and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
• Propose and take action to ensure the implementation of the youth component is mainstreamed into the action plan, projects, and initiatives.

At this stage of the policy cycle, policy statements and strategies are now defined into actions like projects and programs (infrastructure, laws, regulations). This requires coordination and administrative and legal measures to ensure effective policy implementation within a specified time frame (UN-Habitat & UNICEF, 2023).

Actions

Concrete PHASES for Policy Analysis

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5. Monitoring &

• Develop a checklist and key performance indicators to assess youth contribution into policies.
• Run periodic surveys or focus groups with your peers to check the progress of the plans and projects and collect feedback for future implementation.
• Collect best practices and lessons learned about policy design and implementation with youth contributions.

This stage is useful for tracking a policy's progress, effectiveness, and implementation. Each plan, project, and initiative within the policy should have evaluation surveys and impact assessments to gather information on the ground against the indicators settled in the strategy.

Actions

Concrete PHASES for Policy Analysis

Evaluation

This will also help collect best practices or modify activities that do not contribute to the policy's goal. Finally, take into consideration that the implementation of a policy could take several years, so you need to be patient and creative in the meantime.

CASE STUDY: Tajikistan: Youth Leaders Lead Policy Change for Active Mobility

4.Building YOUR

ADVOCAY PLAN

In the previous part, you understood how to review, analyse and contribute to policymaking. And now is the time to take action! This section will provide tips and tools to develop your advocacy action plan.

The graphic here outlines the different phases (Analysis, Multi-Stakeholder Partnership, Advocating for Policy Change, and Social Accountability) to embark on your advocacy journey at local and/or national levels.

in 4

StepS

Source: YOURS adaptation from Advocacy Action Guide. Global Health Incubator, GHAI, 2024.

4.Building YOUR

ADVOCAY PLAN

A)

These are some guiding questions to support a brainstorming discussion with your peers: What’s happening in your city or community? What challenges do you want to help solve regarding road safety that affects most of your community? What have stakeholders been doing so far? What is missing? What does the data say? (Crash data, official statistics, police reports, media reports).

Suggested activities

identify key issues

TOOLS TO HELP COMPLETE THIS STEP

Political Commitment Checklist

Policy and Legislative Environment Checklist

Useful downloads on the left!

B)

You should identify which stakeholders support your cause, and which are not supporting it yet, and your actions can be directed to trying to convince them to join it. But, you need to know that there are hidden powers that could block your strategy. For this, using a power mapping tool to define which tactics will be more useful for engaging your target audience and identifying your allies can be useful. Below you will find an example of the matrix that you can adapt based on your own context.

How To Use this Tool

Suggested activities

4.Building YOUR

ADVOCAcY PLAN

DownloadPower-mapping tool

C)

In this step you are ready to set your advocacy goals and objectives!Here are some guiding questions: What do you want to achieve? What is your timeline to achieve it? Which tactics will you use/develop to achieve your advocacy goals? How will you gain the support from the general public?

Suggested activities

TOOLS TO HELP COMPLETE THIS STEP

Advocacy campaigns are organised around long-term goals to achieve population-level impact. Objectives are the specific policy steps needed to reach that goal. Having a clear policy objective is essential to a robust campaign strategy (GHAI, 2023)

In order to properly design, monitor and assess your actions, you need to create a comprehensive strategy. Already existing models can serve as valuable inspiration.

CASE STUDY: Mexico

Advocacy Strategy Template

Advocacy Impact Reporting Template

4.Building YOUR

ADVOCAcY PLAN

D)

After identifying your objectives and planning your strategies it’s important to design an action plan that you can also evaluate, so the implementation of your advocacy strategy is successful. The matrix provided below offers you an easy to use tool to design your action plan and using the impact report template we share with you at the end of the section you’ll be able to track the progress of your advocacy action.

you are almost there!

Monitoring and Follow up

DownloadMatrix of AdvocacyAction Plan

4.Building YOUR

ADVOCAY PLAN

Follow Up?

Government Commitments

Report the impact of your advocacy strategy and collect lessons learned from best practices. Regularly update stakeholders on progress and any challenges encountered.

Research and continuously monitor government commitments toward road safety in your country. Track how these commitments translate into actionable policies and improvements. For example, if a government has pledged to implement new road safety laws, monitor the legislative process and report on any milestones achieved.

Understand audiences

5. STrategic Communications

Not only your plans and strategies are crucial for a successful advocacy action, effective public speaking can make or break your campaigns. This is why you need to develop strong and effective communication skills, particularly when addressing policymakers, stakeholders, and high-level audiences.

CASE STUDY: Moldova: advocacy campaign to amend road safety regulations

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CASE STUDY: Uganda: Promoting Safe Cycling: Kampala's Monthly Cycling day

test your knowledge

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Public Speaking

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Engage with Media

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Compelling Messages

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Video and Film

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Creating Petitions

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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

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before you go...

before you go...

before you go...

• Government To-do List, Global Alliance, Accountability toolkit

6. External Resources

• Global Health Advocacy Incubator, GHAI, 2024, Advocacy Action Guide,

• Walk21 App

• Child Health Initiative Toolkit

• European Road Safety Observatory. (2023) Road Safety Thematic Report - Safe System Approach

7. references

• Global Status Report on Road Safety (2023), World Health Organization

• Global Road Safety Partnership. (2024). Elements of a Policy Advocacy Campaign: Guidance for CSOs.

• Global Road Safety Leadership Course, 2024.

• Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). (2023) Action Guide.

• International Road Assessment Programme iRAP. (2022) IWD 2022 Break the Bias Blog.

• Save the Children. (2016). MEAL Framework.

• The Democracy Center. (2022). The Art of Advocacy Strategy.

• MobLab. (n.d.) Campaigning Tools.

• Plan International. The Education We Want: An Advocacy Toolkit.

• World Health Organization (WHO). (2013). Strengthening Road Safety Legislation.

• World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). Global Plan for the Decade of Action .

• UN Habitat & UNICEF. (2023). Child-responsive Urban Policies, Laws, and Standards: A Guidance.

• Women Deliver. (2016). Engage Youth. A Discussion Paper on Meaningful Youth Engagement.

• YOURS, the Global Youth Coalition. (2022). Policymakers Toolkit.

• YOURS, the Global Youth Coalition. (2022-2024). Policy Papers Series on SDGs and Road Safety.

• YOURS, the Global Youth Coalition. (n.d.) Youth Action Kit.

Each reference will take you to an external link for further reading.

Crafting Messages:

• Create compelling messages that emphasise the importance of the policy change. Use evidence-based data and tell your story as a road user or young advocate.

Letter Templates:

• To streamline the communication, create letter templates for municipalities, ministers, and member states.

Attending Events and Networking:

• Relevant Discussions: Attend events and high-level spaces where relevant discussions on road safety and sustainable mobility occur.

• Networking: Use these opportunities to network with decision-makers and potential allies.

Meeting Decision-Makers:

• Planning Meetings: Plan your meetings with decision-makers, including brief templates, presentation structures, and defining expected outcomes.

Suggested Actions to COMPLETE this Step

• Short Clips and Documentaries:Produce videos that highlight key aspects of your advocacy campaign, from personal stories to broader issues. Use high-quality visuals and compelling narratives to engage viewers and drive home your message.
• Visual Storytelling:Use visuals to enhance your narrative and make your message more compelling. Incorporate infographics, animations, and other visual elements to illustrate key points and make complex information more accessible.

Video and film are effective tools for capturing attention and conveying impactful messages. Use these mediums to create dynamic and engaging content that resonates with your audience.

Video

Harnessing the Power of Video and Film

According to the World Health Organiation (2013), there are different categories of norms. Explore above by hovering over each term.

Source: YOURS, 2024, based on WHO Publication- Strengthening Road Safety Legislation: A Practice and Resource Manual for Countries, (2013)

But not all guidelines are the same

Law or Legislation (act or decree) → is a mandate or standard enacted by a national law-making body or parliament at the state or federal level. It is enforceable, with negative consequences when disobeyed and positive outcomes when complied with.

Bill → is a draft piece of legislation introduced and published in accordance with the country's procedures for consideration by a parliament or equivalent legislative body of government at the state or federal level; as it is not yet approved, a bill is not yet law.

Regulation or Rule → is a statement of policy or guideline declared by executive branches of government, such as ministries, to further define or clarify a law. It has the force and effect of a law.

Ordinance or By-Law → is a law set by a municipal or other local government body. Although it is not national, national law sometimes heavily influences it. Local ordinances can result in a harmonised system when they mirror national laws, or they can result in fragmentation when localities and municipalities are given broad powers and do not align with national laws.

Standard → is technical documentation that sets forth minimum safety requirements that apply nationally, such as standards for motorcycle helmets and child restraints. A standard can also define how a law or regulation is to be implemented at the local level.

• As part of the Global Youth Coalition, you should support and contribute to the work of the Youth Mobility Ambassadors, share your input and feedback on the Global Youth Statement, and participate in the upcoming online regional consultations they will lead.
• Check if your country or city is part of one of these observatories (regional, national, or city levels). You can find recent data in the reports on their websites.
• If your country's city is not listed, you can look for a National Coalition for Road Safety and collaborate with partners to advocate for Youth inclusion in those cities and national or regional bodies.
• But also remember that those structures are technical spaces that focus on the importance of accurate data in informing policy and implementing action. The Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety has your back, always supporting you with contacts and knowledge to participate meaningfully.

WHAT CAN YOU DO AS A YOUNG LEADER?

Young people are often blamed for road crash fatalities, but this is a dangerous myth that leads to stigmatisation.The Safe System Approach, instead, moves away from ‘blaming’ culture to creating a safe system that protects youth. If young people were to blame for their own death, then why are you more likely to die in a low- and middle-income as a young person than in a high-income country? The answer points at the fact that safe systems that include better vehicles, safer infrastructure, responsible road users, effective post-crash care, and strong law enforcement have been implemented in high-income countries. We will talk more in detail about it in next sections.

Meaningful youth participation

YOUTH ARE THE PROBLEM

This is why we are calling for a paradigm shift: from blaming young people to working hand in hand with them to shape road safety and sustainable mobility policies, and ultimately protecting them on the road.

Youth can demand action and help take it. (Source: Global Status Report. WHO, 2023)

Risk factors and safe system demands should all incorporate meaningful youth participation as a cross-cutting enabler.

Meaningful youth participation is not an end goal in itself; it is a mechanism that must be integrated across all projects and advocacy messages connected to the Road Safety Agenda.

Many governments and international organisations address it and promote it.

• Addressing Audiences: Tailor your approach to different audiences, whether bilateral meetings, high-level forums, or public gatherings. Understand the specific interests and concerns of your audience to make your message more relevant and impactful.
• Structuring Speeches: Use clear, structured speeches with an engaging introduction, solid main points, and a compelling conclusion. For instance, start with a powerful statistic or story to grab attention, present your key points logically, and conclude with a strong call to action.
• Overcoming Nervousness: Overcome nervousness by practising relaxation techniques and focusing on the message rather than the audience. Use deep breathing exercises and visualisation techniques to calm your nerves before speaking.

Public SpeakinG Skills

Road safety is often not a political priority, so governments and other stakeholders are not investing enough to solve this crisis. This myth isn’t exactly true — There is enough funding available! It just needs more political will and commitment to address the challenges communities and citizens face regarding road safety and sustainable mobility. It is an opportunity to advocate for reallocating public resources and working with multiple stakeholders by seeing the cost-benefit and co-benefits that road safety brings to communities.

invest in youth led solutions

There is a lack of investment

We call on road safety decision-makers to inform, consult, and partner meaningfully with young people. If invested, youth are ready to be partners and leaders of meaningful change for health, climate and sustainable mobility policies. By involving youth, we create more responsive policies to ensure ownership from future generations and generate resilient cities and communities.

We understand campaigns as coordinated efforts to achieve specific goals within a set time frame, to mobilise support and resources to effect change on a particular issue or cause. Campaigns typically have one or more specific goals, which vary depending on the issue being addressed and the intended audience. These goals can include:

What are campaigns?

Wake up the world

Mobilize support

Influence decision makers

inspire meaningful actions

start waves of change

Mobilise Support: Campaigns help gather support from people, communities, and organisations who also care about the cause, either directly or indirectly. This includes various techniques like organising rallies, collecting signatures for petitions (online/off-line), building partnerships with key stakeholders and public engagement activities.

Influence Decision-Makers: Through campaigning and interaction, we try to convince people in power, like politicians or decision-makers, to make tangible changes that support the cause. This might involve meeting with them, writing letters, or organising events to show how important the issue is to the community and ask them to take effective action.

Inspire Meaningful Actions: By campaigning, we inspire people to do something to support our cause. This includes simple tasks like signing a petition, attending a protest, or contacting their representatives to ask for change. On a bigger scale, we aim to mobilise the community across different ages and backgrounds to pressure decision-makers to take action.

Start Waves of Change: One of the goals of advocacy campaigns is to create real change at grassroots levels that positively impacts people’s lives. By gathering support, influencing decision-makers, and getting people to take action, campaigns can help implement new policies, change attitudes and behaviour, or make other positive changes that move the cause forward.

Wake Up the World:Campaigns often aim to raise people's awareness of important issues through organising events, running online or on-site sessions, sharing informative materials, and using social media to reach more people and convince them on why the cause matters.

National and subnational urban policies have cross-cutting themes on participation, capacity development and projects throughout the policy cycle, while multilevel governance is an additional theme in subnational urban policy. (UN-Habitat & UNICEF, 2023). In the graphic below you will find the different principles for both policies, and the different impact they will have at national level or grassroots (local) level.This shows plenty of room for advocacy work on calls for law enforcement and investment in road safety/urbanisation policies, with meaningful youth engagement in policymaking. We invite you to use this iRAP tool to consult on local road safety policies in your own country.

Guiding Principles and Cross-Cutting Pillars

Source: YOURS Adaptation from Child Responsive Urban Policies, laws and standards: a guidance, UN-Habitat & UNICEF, 2023.

Acknowledgements & Credits

Peer and Expert Reviewers: Minh Voh - International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) Blaise Murphet - Youth and Disability Advocacy Research (YDAR) Gema Granados Hidalgo - Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) Ines Yabar - Unlock the Future Coalition (UN Foundation) Natalia Lleras - WALK21 Maria Fernanda Ramirez - Despacio Chika Sakashita - Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety

Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety Youth Leaders Inputs:Estiara Ellizar - Youth Leadership Board - IndonesiaJacob Smith - Regional Leader North America - USAOlufunke Afesojaye - SDG Champion - NigeriaSteffel Ludivin Feudjio Tezong - SDG Champion - CameroonRay Adrian Macalalag - Youth Mobility Ambassador - PhilippinesMaryam Bello - Youth Mobility Ambassador - NigeriaValeria Bernal Castillo - Youth Mobility Ambassador - ColombiaFIA FoundationBeatrice de TechtermannA big thank you to everyone that made this toolkit possible!

Written by: Stefania Minniti and Sana’ KhasawnehYOURS Advocacy TeamProduced by:Manpreet Darroch and Laura Daniela Gómez, YOURS Capacity Development Team Melisa Pérez and Maolin MacatangayYOURS Communication Team

Various factors influence both global and local frameworks, including historical contexts, cultural values, and the specific needs arising from local or global events. These frameworks are essential for maintaining order, protecting rights, and promoting social and economic development at all levels. Effective governance requires the integration of these frameworks to ensure that local priorities align with global standards and commitments.

• These refer to laws and regulations enacted by governments, such as nationwide, municipalities or states, within a country.
• They are tailored to the specific needs and conditions of local communities.
• Local frameworks often deal with issues like zoning, local business regulations, and community services.

Local Legislative Frameworks

National, Regional, and City Observatories for Road Safety

Read more at the YOURS Academy

Cultivating Your Soft Skills

• Build relationships with local and national media to increase the visibility of your advocacy efforts. Identify journalists and media outlets that have a history of covering road safety issues and establish connections with them.
• Prepare press releases, write opinion pieces, and participate in interviews to highlight the impact of your advocacy. Use clear, compelling language to communicate your message and emphasise the urgency and importance of your cause.

Engage With The Media

Skill Development:

• Training and Workshops: Participate in training sessions about advocacy and road safety.
• Capacity Building: Engage in activities that enhance leadership, communication, and policy analysis skills.

Forming a Coalition:

• Networking: Connect with like-minded young leaders, NGOs, and stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Build a coalition to strengthen your advocacy efforts.

Building Relationships and Networks:

• Networking: Make new friends around your cause and promote meaningful youth engagement. Foster or join youth bodies where you can actively participate and pitch your cause.

Request Introductions:

• Seek introductions from well-known partners to expand your network and gain credibility.

strengthen your partnerships

Identify and understand your target demographic and audience: Establish clear campaign objectives aligned with your advocacy goals. Use innovative and creative techniques to raise awareness and engage your audience effectively. Don’t know how to do it? Here are some tips:

• Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR):Work directly with community members to identify road safety issues and develop practical solutions. Engage with local schools, community centres, and other organisations to gather input and build support for your initiatives.
• Social Marketing:Apply marketing principles to promote positive behaviour change and increase public awareness of road safety issues. Use social media, public service announcements, and community events to disseminate your message widely.
• Interactive Workshops, Town Hall Meetings, and Focus Groups:Facilitate discussions and learning opportunities that empower community members to advocate for road safety. Use these platforms to gather feedback, build consensus, and mobilise support for your initiatives.

Understand Your Audience

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Storytelling is a powerful tool for advocacy. By incorporating compelling narratives into your campaign, you can connect with audiences on an emotional level, making complex issues more relatable and inspiring action.

• Humanise Issues:Use real-life stories to illustrate the impact of road safety issues on individuals and communities. Share testimonials from crash survivors, families affected by road crashes, and community leaders advocating for change.

• Evoking Empathy:Craft narratives that evoke empathy and motivate your audience to support your cause. Highlight the human cost of inaction and the potential benefits of effective road safety measures.

• Inspiring Action:Use storytelling to inspire your audience to take meaningful action in support of your advocacy efforts. Include clear calls to action, such as signing a petition, attending a community meeting, or contacting local representatives.

Crafting Compelling Messages

The way your issue is presenting can make a huge impact on how it is received. Don't work with what you just 'feel' will work. Get to know your audience and build compelling messages that stick!

The Way you present your issue

• Run a consultation with your peers or focus group to understand their impressions of safety in the community.
• Set up bilateral meetings with the National Lead Agency for Road Safety, for example, or join efforts with other NGO alliances, and organise a group meeting with decision makers.
• Research: Gather comprehensive data on road safety issues using WHO reports and local data sources. Here are some suggested documents and websites you can check out:

Suggested Actions to COMPLETE this Step

• WHO, Global Status Report on Road Safety - App. You can find data by country profiles and comparing countries and regions.
• The Global Health Observatory, WHO. Data collection tool- Indicator Estimated road traffic death rate (per 100000 population)
• iRAP safety insights explorer. You can find data and business cases for investing in safer roads to support your advocacy messages. Here, you can watch a session on how to use the tool.
• YEA! Youth Engagement app. Empowering Young Voices for Safer Roads, is a tool to help youth identify/report risks on their journey to school.

• Stakeholder: Identify the key individuals or groups relevant to your advocacy goals.
• Role/Position: Note their role or position in the community about your advocacy goal.
• Influence Level: Assess their level of influence to achieve your goal (High, Medium, Low).
• Interest in Issue: Gauge their interest in your issue (High, Medium, Low).
• Potential Support/Resistance: Determine if they are likely to support or resist your advocacy efforts.
• Actions to Engage: Plan specific actions to engage with them effectively.
• Notes: Include any additional information that may be useful.
• This template helps visualise and strategise your advocacy efforts, ensuring you target the right people with the right messages to maximise your impact. You can also use the information gathered from step A to complete this matrix, too.

How to use This Template

After you discuss with peers, NGOs, or other relevant stakeholders, you will have a clearer picture of the situation in your community or city and where the gap is in the legal framework or policy implementation. In order to make the process more fruitful, it’s best to choose just one context where you want to have an impact.Focus on specific policy areas needing change, such as seatbelt use, drink-driving regulations, or speed limits.You can explore the Global Status Report application and complete the checklists provided below. When filling them out, the statements you reply to with ‘No’ or ‘Don’t know’ will help you determine where there is a policy gap. This is where you could contribute with an advocacy plan and collaboration with partners. The ‘Partial Yes’ answer will help you understand the political commitment from the government and the actual legislative framework in place.

indentify key issues

Congratulations!

You made it to the end of this Advocacy and Campaigns Road! Thank you for reading. We hope you will use all the resources provided to improve your advocacy and campaigning skills and support your advocacy efforts at all levels.

How Do You Use This Toolkit in Your Advocacy Journey?

Policy and Legal Framework

Your community and you are the experts on your own needs to transform cities. There is no need to rely solely on external experts to transform your lived experiences of what works into healthier, safer, sustainable and resilient spaces. In the following sections, you will find tools that will support you to strategically think about and execute advocacy campaigns. For example, webinars to go deeper into the relationships between road safety and the Sustainable Agenda; downloadable tools that will help you set up your talking points with decision-makers, and case studies about successful advocacy efforts for policy change on road safety and sustainable mobility to inspire you.

Communications

Research and Data Analysis

In order to start, you need to familiarise yourself with crucial advocacy elements. Before you embark on your advocacy journey, be mindful that this is the long-game toward sustainable and impactful change. There is no magic wand or silver bullet to change the world! As a young change-maker, you need to familiarise yourself with these crucial advocacy elements:

Monitoring &Evaluation (MEAL)

Effective advocacy involves understanding and navigating the complex landscape of laws, regulations, and government policies. In this toolkit you’ll understand the differences between these concepts. You’ll understand how to identify gaps or deficiencies in existing frameworks that could be opportunities and part of your advocacy goals.

A fundamental aspect of impactful advocacy is understanding public sentiment surrounding road safety and sustainable mobility. This toolkit will provide you with ideas to effectively disseminate advocacy messages and outcomes to stakeholders and, through it, influence policy change.

Tracking the progress of your advocacy initiatives and advocating for accountability ensures your contributions are considered in policy making. We’ve prepared some tools for you to follow up on your efforts.

Evidence-based research and data analysis tailored to the national context are essential for informing advocacy strategies and engaging decision-makers. You’ll find here different sources to identify evidence based problems and solutions.

‘Road safety is a technical issue related only to mobility and transport systems; it doesn’t contribute to the 2030 Agenda and targets.’ Or so many wrongfully think. Road safety is actually linked to the broader Sustainable Development Agenda focusing on youth, climate, and health priorities. A safe, inclusive and affordable sustainable transport system is pivotal to achieving all SDGs, particularly those related to health and inequalities: SDG3 (Health and Well-Being), SDG4 (Quality Education), SDG5 (Gender Equality), SDG10 (Inequalities), SDG11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG13 (Climate Action). In this section, you will find bite-sized information, webinars, and additional resources from the Policy Papers on Road Safety and the SDGs developed by Youth Coalition members to support your advocacy messages and strategy to influence and talk with decision-makers about health, climate, and youth agendas.

sustainable development

road safety is not a connected issue

more at theYOURS ACADEMY

• Road traffic crashes impose significant economic burdens on countries, accounting for 3 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in most nations, and up to 6 percent in low- and middle-income countries (WHO, 2023).

• Lack of investment in both road safety and education provision for children on their way to school, particularly in the poorest areas, reinforces socio-economic inequalities and holds back progress across the SDGs.

• Inequalities in transport extend beyond country-level differences; they also exist in the impact on different vulnerable groups (children, women, people living with disabilities), such as drivers/passengers of four-wheeled vehicles or pedestrians (YOURS, 2023).

Road safety is a catalyst to fast-track and attain the SDG goals of combating air pollution and climate change, promoting inclusion, creating sustainable mobility safe public areas, and designing sustainable cities (YOURS, 2023).

Road traffic crashes are the biggest killer of young people, and the transport sector is a major contributor to climate change (YOURS, 2022).

• Globally, women face a higher risk of being seriously injured as pedestrians and face higher risks as vehicle passengers than men (YOURS, the Global Youth Coalition, 2022-2024).

Advocacy is the deliberate and strategic effort to promote, protect, and advance a particular cause, policy, or idea. It involves various activities to influence decision-makers, public opinion, and societal norms or behaviours. These activities include lobbying, campaigning, grassroots’ organising, public speaking, media engagement, and coalition-building.

What is advocacy?

Advocacy is a long-term process that aims to contribute to policy design, implementation, and accountability. Rather than pushing a personal opinion or objective, advocates create awareness of a problem or an issue as a representative of a broader group or cause. The overall goal of advocacy is to influence key people who have the power to make decisions about your cause to implement laws, policies or solutions that benefit the cause and facilitate policy change and the development we aspire to see. So, in summary, advocacy ‘is the art of getting someone with power to do something that they would not otherwise do’ (The Democracy Center, 2022).

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Petitions serve as vital tools in advocating for road safety by galvanising collective action, amplifying the voices of concerned individuals, and delivering those demands to decision-makers and the general public. They effectively influence decision-makers by showcasing public opinion and pressing for policy changes and legislative reforms to improve road safety standards. Moreover, petitions foster community engagement and activism, providing a platform for individuals to unite, share experiences, and collaborate on initiatives to make roads safer for all.

How to Create a petition

Choose a concise and impactful title summarising the petition’s purpose. For example, ‘Reduce Speed Limits in School Zones to Save Lives.’

Introduction: Briefly explain the petition's purpose and why it's essential.

Background Information: Offer context or background information about the issue or concern, including relevant statistics, incidents, or examples that support the need for action.

Call to Action: Clearly outline the specific actions you want the target decision-maker, organisation, or general public to take.

Additional Details: Include details, evidence, or arguments supporting the call to action. This could include expert quotes, personal stories, or references to relevant research.

Closing Statement: Conclude with a compelling statement reaffirming the importance of the petition and the desired outcome. Encourage signatories to share the petition with others and help spread the word.

Signature: Provide space for signatories to add their names and dates to indicate their support for the petition.

Promotion: Share the petition widely through social media, email, and other channels to gather support. Use a mix of online and offline strategies to reach a broad audience.

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‘People always make mistakes based on their behaviours, attitudes, and not respecting the rules.’ This myth has been busted. As we mentioned previously, if young people were solely to blame for dying on the road, then why do huge differences between countries exist when it comes to youth and traffic death rates? Road safety is a shared responsibility, and everyone has a role in saving lives and promoting sustainable mobility.

safe system approach

Road fatalities are a human mistake

Principles of a Safe System Approach:

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Death and Serious Injuries are Unacceptable

Humans Make Mistakes

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Humans Are Vulnerable

Responsibility is Shared

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Safety is Proactive

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LEARN MORE!

A Safe System Approach prioritises eliminating crashes that result in death and serious injuries.

People will inevitably make mistakes and decisions that can lead to or contribute to crashes. Still, the transportation system can be designed and operated to accommodate certain types and levels of human mistakes and avoid death and serious injuries when a crash occurs by creating a forgiving, or more tolerant, transport system.

People will inevitably make mistakes and decisions that can lead to or contribute to crashes. Still, the transportation system can be designed and operated to accommodate certain types and levels of human mistakes and avoid death and serious injuries when a crash occurs by creating a forgiving, or more tolerant, transport system.

Human bodies have physical limits for tolerating crash forces before death or serious injury occurs; therefore, designing and operating human-centric transportation systems that accommodate physical human vulnerabilities is critical.

All stakeholders —including government at all levels, road designers, industry, NGOs, Academia, youth, and the general public— are vital to preventing fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways.

All stakeholders —including government at all levels, road designers, industry, NGOs, Academia, youth, and the general public— are vital to preventing fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways.

Proactive tools should be used to identify and address safety issues in the transportation system rather than waiting for crashes to occur and reacting afterwards.

Proactive tools should be used to identify and address safety issues in the transportation system rather than waiting for crashes to occur and reacting afterwards.

Human bodies have physical limits for tolerating crash forces before death or serious injury occurs; therefore, designing and operating human-centric transportation systems that accommodate physical human vulnerabilities is critical.

A Safe System Approach prioritises eliminating crashes that result in death and serious injuries.

Do you want to learn more about the Safe System Approach? Enroll at YOURS Academy and explore the modules ‘The Global Road Safety Problem and Youth’ and ‘The Safety System Approach and the Risk Factors’ for in-depth insights on this concept.

Hover of the boxes to learn more

The Global Plan for the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety, is produced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Regional Commissions.

It is the international framework that sets up the strategy and targets to reduce in half road traffic injuries (50 percent) by 2030 and supports countries in making the above-mentioned adjustments based on evidence-based solutions.

It recognises that youth must meaningfully participate in designing and delivering road safety strategies and plans: ‘Young people play an important role in shaping the future transport system for two key reasons. First, they are the age group most affected by road trauma, with road traffic crashes being the leading cause of death among those aged 5–29. Second, they are the generation that will inherit the outcomes of today’s decisions about the safety of the evolving transport system. As such, they should be asked about their needs to help shape the system and generate ideas to better protect some of the most vulnerable among us. Meaningful engagement with young leaders can help foster greater ownership of the road safety issue and develop a new cohort of road safety advocates with a fresh perspective on the future of mobility.’ (WHO, 2021).

As a young advocate, you can use the Global Plan to advocate for policy changes. You can check if your country has a National Road Safety Plan that includes recommendations and targets from the Global one. In case they do, you can check the progress by using the Accountability Tracker, developed by the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety.