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Steps in setting up awareness raising campaignsExample from helmet wearing campaigns in Cambodia

Seminar on awareness raising and disabilityMadagascar, November 2008

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• More than 3,000 people die and 15,000 are disabled for life every day in the world.

• Second leading cause of death globally among young people aged 5 to 29.

• 90% of dead related to road traffic accidents occur in developing countries.

• Road traffic fatalities are estimated to increase by 80% by 2020 in developing countries, outstripping AIDS related fatalities.

• Huge economic losses (between 1 and 3 % of GDP).

Road traffic injuries are a huge public health and development issue

Background informationRoad safety in the world

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Background informationRoad safety as a development issue

• RTAs’ impact on public health is huge and has not yet received the necessary attention from the Government and the international community compared to other issues, such as mines and UXOs.

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HIV/AIDS Malaria Mines/UXO Road trafficinjuries

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$)

2004 number of fatalities (million) Yearly worldwide Funding (million US$)

Source: WHO and Handicap International Belgium analysis

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Background informationRoad safety in Cambodia

Sources: • Population: First Revision of Population Projections for Cambodia 1998 -2020, National Institute of

Statistics, Ministry of Planning, June 2004;• Traffic and accident figures: Ministry of Public Works and Transport.

Road traffic accidents, casualties and fatalities increase more proportionally than road traffic and population.

Evolution of road traffic accident and casualties (base 100 = 1995)

• Every day, 3 persons die and more than 100 are injured

• Over the last five years, the number of fatalities has doubled.

• The total economic loss of road traffic accidents is estimated at 116 million US$ annually (ADB).

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1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Population Traff ic Number of accidents Fatalities

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1. Support to the National Road Safety committee and Lobby and Advocacy

2. Development and implementation of a national Road Traffic Accident and Victim Information System (RTAVIS)

3. Development and implementation of a national road safety curriculum for primary and secondary schools

4. Road safety public awareness campaigns

5. Community Based Road Safety Education

6. Partnerships with private and non-governmental organizations

7. Emergency assistance to traffic victims

•: HI initiated a road traffic accidents prevention program in Cambodia as from 2003.

Background informationHI Road Safety Program in Cambodia

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Steps in awareness raising1. Issues identification

• Road Traffic Accident and Victim Information System

• Roadside baseline surveys• Panel group discussions• Media reports• Meeting with partners • Consultation of road safety

experts

• 70% of road traffic casualties in Cambodia are motorcycle riders

• 40% of them suffer from head injuries which lead to permanent disabilities

• Most of them are male• Less than 2% are wearing a

helmet• Helmet wearing has proven to

be the best way to prevent head injuries in many countries and has had enormous impact on the reduction of fatality and disability

Decision to focus awareness raising campaigns on the importance of wearing a helmet for young males

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Provide road safety related stakeholders with accurate and complete data on road traffic accidents and victims

• Permanent database integrating data from various sources (trained staff at hospitals, private clinics and traffic police) through out the country

• Reports distributed monthly mainly via email

• Annual report providing recommendations for road safety stakeholders

• Research on specific topics (e.g. motodop drivers, young drivers behavior,…)

• Key staffs training within the GSNRSC to progressively manage the database.

Steps in awareness raising1. Issues identification (continued)

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Steps in awareness raising2. Change objectives identification

Objectives and results:• Reduce fatality and disability due to road traffic injuries by increasing

helmet wearing rate in the country. • Reach an acceptable helmet wearing rate before the introduction of

new law on helmet wearing in Cambodia

Target groups: • Males between 20 and 25 years old

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Steps in awareness raising3. Partnerhsips

Government stakeholders: • Ministry of health• Ministry of education, youth and sport• Ministry of public transport • Municipality of Phnom Penh

Legitimacy and link with advocacy Multiplifier effects

International organizations: • WHO, ADB, UNICEF, BBC World Trust Services Link with similar international initiatives and access to speicalized consultants

Local media: Multiplifier effect Access to several supports

Local stars: • TV and movie stars (e.g. Jackie Chan)• King of Cambodia

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Steps in awareness raising3. Partnerhsips (continued)

Local and international NGOsLink with community initiatives Complementary competences (e.g. some organizations doing

HIV/AIDS campaigns having knowledge in our target groups)Multiplifier effects

UniversitiesAccess to representatives of target groupsCreation of reviewing panels

Private companiesAdditional fundsAdditional networks (e.g. road safety network)

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Steps in awareness raising4. Analysis of available resources

• Importance of partnerships•Quick reaction to opportunities •Flexibility

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Steps in awareness raising5. Awareness raising strategy - choice and conception of tools, calendar and writing of the strategy paper

TV and radio spots:•2 TV spot reinforcing each other (very focussed to core message and target group)

•2 radio spotsNewspapers articles: •Less focussed than TV and radio spots but reinforcing the messages

IEC •Combination of focussed and less focussed communications

•Wide network of distribution Events: •Helmet distribution ceremony, Communication-based activities •In collaboration with local NGOs and authorities

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Steps in awareness raising5. Awareness raising strategy - choice and conception of tools, calendar and writing of the strategy paper

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Steps in awareness raising5. Awareness raising strategy - choice and conception of tools, calendar and writing of the strategy paper

• Importance of behavioral surveys• Importance of pre-testing of the messages and tools of the

campaigns (via questionnaire and panel group discussion)• Importance of panel groups (representatives of target groups

– 50 people in our case)

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2. Steps in awareness raising6. Launch of the campaign

• Press conference • Creation of a road safety week

in Cambodia• Launch in presence of high

level and moral personalities (e.g. King of Cambodia)

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2. Steps in awareness raising7. Follow-up of the campaign

• Regular analysis of the impact of the campaign at pre-determined dates (done by MoH)

• Follow-up and communication of campaign resultsts at key pre-determined dates (e.g. National holidays, Water Festival…)

Evolution of helmet wearing rate in Phnom Penh

8.03% 8.50%

10.93%

13.60%14.68%

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

16.00%

March 2004 July 2004 April 2005 October2005

February2006

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2. Steps in awareness raising7. Follow-up of the campaign

• Regular analysis of the impact of the campaign at pre-determined dates (done by MoH)

• Follow-up and communication of campaign resultsts at key pre-determined dates (e.g. National holidays, Water Festival…)

Helmet wearing rate on NR. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 6A (January, 2005)

17.88%

17.81%

12.48%

18.95%

11.09%

16.27%

19.41%

16.27%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

NR1

NR2

NR3

NR4

NR5

NR6

NR6A

Average

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2. Steps in awareness raising8. End of the campaign9. Evaluation

•End at a pre-determined date•Production of an evaluation report:

•Evaluation of the changes in behaviors•Evaluation of perception of the campaign •International comparisons

•Communication of the results•International media safety award in Violence and Injury prevention conference in Durban

•Introduction of the new law on helmet wearing in Cambodia

•Helmet wearing rate has doubled in less than 2 years•More than 90% of the targeted population had seen the campaign and understood the core message

•A new helmet wearing regulation has been passed by the national assembly

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