Evaluating pedestrian safety programmes <br />How groups advocate depends partly upon the personal styles and skills of their <br />leaders, as well as their political connections. Whatever the skills and strengths of <br />the core group, the following six principles apply to most pedestrian safety advocacy <br />efforts (8,ro): <br />i. Make a long-term commitment: Change is rarely achieved overnight, and <br />even in the best-performing countries it has taken years to achieve a decrease in <br />pedestrian traffic fatalities. Advocacy for policy change on behalf of pedestrian safety <br />entails seemingly endless hours of effort, including service on advisory committees, <br />tracking and evaluating projects and plans, providing comments and testimony, <br />and advocating for changes to standard operating procedures such as street design <br />standards and crossing marking policies. Persistence and commitment in the long <br />term are required for success. <br />z. Prioritize focal areas: Take a strategic approach by identifying and focusing on <br />a few key priorities at once. Setting priority areas requires a good assessment of the <br />road safety and political situation in the local setting (see Module 3). Instead of <br />engaging in a broad range of activities that may not always yield results, it is better <br />to target advocacy efforts carefully, to make the best use of the limited time and <br />resources, in favour of the greatest potential gains. Advocacy groups must be realistic <br />about what their staff and partners can achieve, and take on a limited number of <br />projects each year, especially in the first years of operation. <br />3. Promote evidence-based solutions: It is critical to ensure that efforts are based <br />on the best scientific evidence. Nongovernmental organizations should engage in <br />an ongoing dialogue with road safety experts in order to stay informed about the <br />latest knowledge and practice from the field and use that understanding to enhance <br />ongoing research and activities. In certain settings, the best scientific evidence may <br />contradict the common understanding, and nongovernmental organizations can play <br />a role in resolving this conflict. <br />4. Utilize existing resources: It is helpful to make use of existing materials and <br />resources in order to avoid duplication of effort. Many organizations offer materials <br />that can be used to support national and local road safety initiatives. These should be <br />tailored for relevant audiences and translated into appropriate languages. <br />5. Build an advocacy network: It is vital to engage with partners. Few nongov- <br />ernmental organizations are able to succeed without the support of partners from <br />government, academia, the private sector, foundations or agencies such as the police, <br />fire department and medical services. They also gain by reaching out to other non- <br />governmental organizations to coordinate messages, support one another's activities <br />and generate resources. The importance of engaging with partners, promoting similar <br />actions and speaking as a community with one voice cannot be overstated. <br />6. Review progress regularly: While most advocacy efforts contribute to general <br />awareness raising, targeted advocacy can most effectively contribute to concrete <br />and measurable change. Even when an organization lacks the capacity to monitor <br />104 <br />Attachment C <br />Attachment B <br />Page 250 <br />