{"id":86085,"date":"2026-04-20T11:10:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T10:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/irap.org\/?p=86085"},"modified":"2026-04-20T11:10:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T10:10:22","slug":"advancing-safer-journeys-to-school-through-regional-cooperation-in-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irap.org\/pt\/2026\/04\/advancing-safer-journeys-to-school-through-regional-cooperation-in-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Promovendo trajetos escolares mais seguros por meio da coopera\u00e7\u00e3o regional na \u00c1frica."},"content":{"rendered":"

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Across Africa, road traffic injuries remain one of the leading causes of death and serious injury among children, particularly during daily journeys to and from school. Creating safe school zones is therefore not only a transport priority, but a critical investment in education, equity, and the future of the continent.<\/p>\n

This urgency was at the heart of the\u00a0Association of African Road Safety Lead Agencies (AARSLA)<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Africa Transport Policy Program (SSATP)<\/a>\u00a0Webinar on Safer School Zones<\/strong>, held on\u00a017 April 2026<\/strong>, in observance of\u00a0World Public Transport Day<\/strong>. Convened by AARSLA with the support of the SSATP, the webinar brought together policymakers, road safety practitioners, development partners, and regional organizations to share evidence, policy experiences, and scalable solutions for safer journeys to school across Africa.<\/p>\n

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From Risk to Results: Designing Safe School Zones<\/strong><\/p>\n

The webinar agenda highlighted the importance of addressing the full school travel environment\u2014speed, infrastructure, vehicle mix, and human behavior. Nathalie Chiavassa, iRAP Lead Consultant for Safer Journeys in Africa, delivered a presentation on designing safe school zones, highlighting practical, evidence-based measures such as traffic calming, pedestrian crossings, sidewalks, signage, and speed management to reduce child road trauma.<\/p>\n

Visit the Star Rating for Schools website here<\/a><\/p>\n

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Policy Leadership and Financing Solutions<\/strong><\/p>\n

The webinar also underscored the need to embed safe school zones within\u00a0national policy and regulatory frameworks<\/strong>, showcasing\u00a0Uganda\u2019s\u00a02025 National Guide for the Establishment of Safe School Zones<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0as an example of institutional leadership and cross\u2011sector coordination. Such frameworks provide the foundation for scaling interventions beyond pilots and ensure that school safety is systematically considered within transport planning and urban development.<\/p>\n

Financing and partnerships were another central theme, with contributions from the\u00a0World Bank Global Road Safety Facility<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0highlighting how innovative funding models and blended finance can unlock sustainable investment in school infrastructure, particularly in low\u2011 and middle\u2011income contexts.<\/p>\n

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Regional Collaboration: iRAP\u2013WARSO Cooperation<\/strong><\/p>\n

A significant step forward for West Africa is the\u00a0Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between iRAP and the West African Road Safety Organization (WARSO)<\/a>\u00a0signed in 2025 and celebrated at the Road Safety Conference in Marrakesh<\/strong>. This cooperation framework aims to strengthen regional capacity in road safety assessment, data\u2011driven prioritisation, and the deployment of tools such as\u00a0SR4S<\/strong>\u00a0across member countries.<\/p>\n

Through this partnership, iRAP and WARSO will work together to:<\/p>\n