Last October 2020, YOURS – Youth for Road Safety was granted special consultative status under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The status enables YOURS to actively engage with ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies and support the work of the UN by promoting knowledge aligned with its scope of competencies. In accordance with this, YOURS joined the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety and FIA Foundation to create a statement for the ECOSOC high-level segment.
The ECOSOC High-Level Statement
The statement was created and circulated in accordance with paragraphs 30 and 31 of the ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 that states that relevant statements related to the work of the council may be submitted by organizations in general consultative status and special consultative status on subjects in which these organizations have special competence.
The statement will be part of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) which serves as the UN central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. The HLPF and the statement will provide full and effective participation of all States Members of the United Nations and States members of specialized agencies.
Prioritizing road safety
Governments are sharing their progress on SDG 3 – Health which includes the road safety target. Together on behalf of our partner organizations FIA Foundation and the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, we submitted a joint statement calling for 30 km/h speed limits where people can walk, live, and play.
“Our vision for the 2030 Agenda cannot be achieved in isolation. Together, we represent civil society, community leaders, youth leaders, and road victims from more than 100 countries. This statement builds on the Global Youth Statement for Road Safety, the NGO Chania Declaration, and the 6th UN Global Road Safety Week”
The statement for road safety emphasizes the importance of prioritizing low-speed streets for public health, social and racial equity, children and youth, and the rest of the community. The 2020 Stockholm Declaration calls for livable streets and a maximum road travel speed of 30 km/h where people and traffic mix.