HANOI, Vietnam – May 22, 2025

Over 18.3 million children from primary, secondary and high schools commute between home and school every day in Vietnam. Still today, many children share the road with speeding trucks, with no sidewalks to walk on, as they go to school. Alarmingly, traffic speeds around schools frequently and significantly exceed internationally recommended school zones’ speed limits.

Building on the momentum of the recently launched Safe School Zones Guide, AIP Foundation is proud to have been selected as a United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) implementing partner,  to scale up the program and support establishing standardized school zones across the country. This will be in close collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTFO), serving as a fiduciary Administrative Agent for the UN Road Safety Fund.

“The United Nations Road Safety Fund is proud to support the scale-up of safe school zones across Vietnam. The road to education must not be a road to danger. Through this new Safe School Zones program, the Fund is investing in sustainable, scalable solutions that help create safer road environments where they are most urgently needed, around schools. By supporting the development of a national legal framework and piloting model zones, this project aims to set a precedent not only for Vietnam but for the region, showing how targeted funding can unlock systemic change and protect the next generation,” said Nneka Henry, Head of the UN Road Safety Fund Secretariat.

National meeting to launch the new program

To kick-start the program, a launch meeting was hosted in Hanoi, Vietnam by AIP Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Construction. During the meeting, participants gained a clear understanding of the program’s objectives, scope, and expected outcomes, as well as how their roles contribute to its success. They were introduced to the timeline, key activities, and milestones, and will learn about the communication and coordination processes to ensure effective collaboration. The meeting also provided an opportunity to identify potential risks and discuss strategies to address them early.

“The Ministry of Construction highly appreciates and supports the program as it contributes to improving transportation infrastructure and enhancing traffic organization around school areas in Vietnam. This program aims to reduce injuries and fatalities among students involved in road traffic, aligning with the objectives of the National Strategy on Road Traffic Order and Safety for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision toward 2045, as well as Directive No. 31/CT-TTg dated December 21, 2023, issued by the Prime Minister on strengthening traffic safety for students in the current context,” shares Hoang The Tung, Deputy Director at the Transportation and Traffic Safety Department from the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam.

Key participants at the meeting included representatives of the Ministry of Construction, the National Traffic Safety Committee and the Department for Roads of Vietnam on the national level. Provincial governments play a key role, and representatives from the Quang Ngai Department of Construction, the Department of Education and Training and the  Traffic Safety Committee. International partners from UNESCAP, iRAP, WHO, UNICEF and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office Vietnam also attended.

Working toward a legal definition of Safe School Zones

The two-year program aims to contribute to the reduction of traffic injuries and fatalities through advocacy for the development of a legal framework for standardized school zones in Vietnam. This will be achieved by gathering evidence on school zone safety, providing capacity training for key government stakeholders, piloting model school zones in selected provinces and promoting awareness of the community.

The program will build upon ongoing efforts to support establishing standardized school zones around the country. Under the scope of the safe school zones work by AIP Foundation, the Safe School Zones Guide was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam with funding support from the FIA Foundation.

This Safe School Zones Guide was endorsed by Ministry of Transport in August 2023  and has been used to implement infrastructure modifications at schools in Vietnam to demonstrate the benefits of the approach. These activities will support advocacy efforts at the national level and aiming to lead to the adoption of a School Zone Definition at the national level, ensuring every child has a safe school journey.

Mirjam Sidik, CEO of AIP Foundation.

“This inspiring program launch shows what’s possible when government, communities, and partners come together with a shared vision: to save lives and protect children. As an international NGO in Vietnam, we are proud to support and drive forward practical, evidence-based solutions like this safe school zones program, because every step toward safer roads is a step toward a stronger, more equitable future for all,” shares Mirjam Sidik, CEO of AIP Foundation.