The World Health Organization (WHO) in Viet Nam and AIP Foundation today celebrated the first anniversary of Viet Nam Project 2000 Road Safety Partnership, a growing multi-sector collaboration working towards a future where no child or young person is killed on Viet Nam's roads. At the event in Ha Noi, the Partnership welcomed three new members: the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), Honda Viet Nam and Volvo Car Viet Nam.
(From left to right) Sir Greig Craft - President of AIP Foundation, Ms Sayaka Arai - Director General, Honda Vietnam, Mr Kim Kukhyun - Deputy CMO, Volvo Car Vietnam, Dr Angela Pratt - WHO Representative in Viet Nam.
Launched in 2025, the Partnership was established in response to the ongoing toll of road traffic injuries among children and young people in Viet Nam. Approximately 2,000 children and young people lose their lives on the country's roads each year, making road traffic injuries one of the leading causes of death among young people.
Convened by WHO Viet Nam and AIP Foundation, the Partnership brings together Government agencies, civil society, international organizations, academia and the private sector to support evidence-based action to improve child road safety. Its vision is a Viet Nam where every child and young person can travel safely on the roads.
“The growth of the Partnership over its first year demonstrates increasing recognition that road safety is everyone's responsibility,” said Dr Angela Pratt, WHO Representative in Viet Nam. “No single organization can solve this major challenge alone. By working together, we can accelerate progress towards safer roads and help ensure that children and young people are protected whether they are travelling to school, work or home.”
AIP Foundation Founder and President Sir Greig Craft said, “Today is both a celebration and a call to action. We are encouraged by the momentum generated during the Partnership's first year and delighted to welcome three respected new members. Their expertise and commitment will help strengthen our collective efforts to protect children and young people on the roads.”
Over its first year, the Partnership has helped strengthen collaboration around three key priorities: improving motorcycle safety for children, supporting the introduction and use of child restraint systems in vehicles, and promoting safer school environments through safer speeds and improved infrastructure.
The partners’ key activities have included providing technical support for the development of child-specific helmet standards; supporting the implementation of new regulations on child restraint systems in vehicles; generating evidence and providing technical advice to inform the development of national standards and guidance on speed management and safe school zones; facilitating technical workshops, expert consultations and the exchange of international experience and good practices across localities; and promoting the integration of child road safety into broader agendas on child rights, child well-being and sustainable development.
The addition of the Global Road Safety Partnership, Honda Viet Nam and Volvo Car Viet Nam broadens the Partnership's expertise and further reinforces its commitment to fostering collaboration across sectors to address Viet Nam's road safety challenges.
Despite significant progress in reducing road traffic deaths over the past decade, Viet Nam continues to experience approximately 11 000 road traffic deaths and 18 000 injuries every year. Children and young people remain among the most at risk.
At today’s event, members of the Partnership reaffirmed their commitment to advancing practical, evidence-based solutions aimed at reducing road traffic deaths and injuries among children and young people by 50% by 2030.
About Viet Nam Project 2000 Road Safety Partnership
The Viet Nam Project 2000 Road Safety Partnership is convened by the WHO Viet Nam Country Office and AIP Foundation to catalyse action towards reducing the number of children and young people killed on Viet Nam's roads from approximately 2,000 each year to zero. It brings together Government ministries, international organizations, embassies, NGOs, universities, youth voices and others to drive policy, infrastructure, and behavioural change — with the goal of saving young lives.
The Partnership is a joint initiative of WHO, as the lead UN agency on global road safety, and the AIP Foundation, with funding support from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety and the FIA Foundation, with partners including the Academy of Construction Strategy and Cadres Training (ACST), the Automobile Association Viet Nam (AAV), the Center for Injury Policy and Prevention Research of Hanoi University of Public Health, the Embassy of Japan, the Embassy of Sweeden, the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), HealthBridge Foundation of Canada, Honda Viet Nam, the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP), Protec, UNESCO, UNICEF, the Viet Nam Association for Protection of Children's Rights, Vital Strategies and Volvo Car Viet Nam.
About AIP Foundation
AIP Foundation is a U.S 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization transforming mobility to save lives, protect the planet and create equal opportunities for all. Since 1999, we have made an impact in more than 35 countries around the world. We are changemakers who believe that mobility is about more than getting from one place to another – it is about access, opportunity, and well-being. We work to promote road safety, sustainable transportation, and more inclusive ways for people to move, whether they are going to school, finding work, or staying healthy. To find out more, please visit www.aip-foundation.org or connect with us on LinkedIn @AIPFoundation. https://www.aip-foundation.org/
About World Health Organization Viet Nam
Founded in 1948, WHO is the United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable – so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health. As the lead agency for road safety in the United Nations, WHO plays a key role in guiding global efforts by advocating for road safety at the highest levels, compiling and sharing good practices and raising awareness of road safety. WHO established a country office in Ha Noi in 1977 and plays a central role in supporting the people and the Government of Viet Nam for a healthier, stronger and safer Viet Nam. To find out more, visit www.who.int/vietnam
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