At the UNITE Global Summit 2026 Parliamentary Inquiry, YOURS highlighted why safe and sustainable mobility should be at the centre of policies that create healthier, safer and more resilient communities.
What if a single public investment could reduce emissions, improve health, prevent road traffic crashes and expand access to opportunities?
This was one of the key messages YOURS brought to the UNITE Global Summit 2026 Parliamentary Inquiry in Manila, Philippines, which convened 160 participants from 48 countries. The majority of participants were parliamentarians working on health, creating an important space to connect youth perspectives with legislative leadership and public health decision-making.
Representing YOURS, Sana’a Khasawneh, Senior Advocacy and Public Affairs Manager, joined the session Intergenerational Action for Climate and Health: A Parliamentary Inquiry, where she shared the organisation’s perspective on why investing in safe and sustainable mobility delivers benefits that extend far beyond transport.
The Parliamentary Inquiry brought together youth representatives and technical experts with parliamentarians from different regions, including Hon. Ibtissame Azzaoui, former Member of Parliament from Morocco; Hon. Ephraim Kayembe, Member of Parliament from Malawi; Hon. Sonia Sidhu, Member of Parliament from Canada; and Hon. Sascha Van Beek, Member of Parliament from Germany.
Together, they explored how legislative action, public financing and parliamentary oversight can better address the interconnected challenges of climate change, public health and intergenerational equity.
“When we invest in safe, accessible and sustainable mobility, we’re not only investing in transport—we’re also investing in health, climate resilience and equity. The strongest investment case is built around interventions that address several challenges with the same public resources.” — Sana’a Khasawneh, Senior Advocacy and Public Affairs Manager, YOURS – Youth for Road Safety
At YOURS, we believe that safe and sustainable mobility is one of the smartest public investments governments can make. Well-designed walking and cycling infrastructure, reliable public transport and safer streets do much more than improve mobility. They reduce emissions, improve air quality, encourage physical activity, prevent road traffic crashes, lower household transport costs and expand access to education, employment and healthcare.
These benefits are particularly important for young people and communities that rely heavily on walking, cycling and public transport, yet are often exposed to the greatest levels of risk.
This is why climate, health, mobility and road safety should not be treated as separate policy agendas. A single investment can contribute to multiple national priorities, helping governments create healthier,
safer and more resilient communities while making better use of public resources.
Parliamentarians have a central role in making this integration possible. Through legislation, budgeting and oversight, they can ensure that climate and health investments include measurable objectives for road safety, accessibility, air quality, physical activity and equity.
This integrated approach also requires a stronger focus on accountability. Progress should not be measured only by the number of plans, strategies, or consultations produced, but by whether investments improve people’s lives, make communities safer, strengthen resilience, and ensure that public resources reach those who need them most.
Accountability should also examine who benefits from public investment, who remains exposed to risk and whether commitments are translating into safer and healthier everyday journeys.
Equally important is ensuring that young people are recognised as partners in shaping these decisions. Beyond sharing their experiences, young people should have meaningful opportunities to contribute to policy design, implementation, budget discussions, monitoring and accountability.
Around the world, youth-led initiatives continue to demonstrate that local knowledge can identify overlooked risks, generate practical solutions and inform national policy. However, these initiatives require sustained political support, financing and formal pathways through which young people can influence decision-making.
By participating in the UNITE Global Summit 2026 Parliamentary Inquiry, YOURS reaffirmed its commitment to advancing safe and sustainable mobility as a powerful intersection between climate action, public health and road safety. Bringing these agendas together, and ensuring young people have a meaningful role in shaping them, will be essential to building healthier, safer and more resilient communities for everyone.