Paris – WEBWIRE – Thursday, September 21, 2023
The United Nations Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for Road Safety, Mr Jean Todt, and Jean-Charles Decaux, co-CEO of JCDecaux, launched a new UN Global Road Safety campaign to address road traffic crashes, which are the leading cause of death for people aged 5 to 29 around the world.
Road traffic crashes kill 1.35 million people every year and injure over 50 million, often for life. Developing countries account for 93% of the victims. The most vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists) and the poor are disproportionately affected worldwide.
Over the next two years, the campaign will appear on billboards and in public areas in 80 countries worldwide thanks to a global partnership with JCDecaux. Displayed in about 1,000 cities, the campaign will be translated into 30 languages.
Contributing to the European Mobility Week
The campaign was launched today in Brussels during the European Mobility Week (16-22 September), with the participation of Adina Vălean, European Commissioner for Transport. On this occasion, the campaign is on display in the streets of Brussels and at Brussels Airport, as well as in the streets of Lige, Antwerp and Lier.
The Special Envoy declared: Road safety is not high enough on the political agenda in most countries. While we know the remedies to road crashes, action is lagging behind. With this campaign, together with the celebrities that are joining us, and our partners JCDecaux and Saatchi & Saatchi, we are trying to revert this and mobilize the political will that is needed to increase actions and financing to save millions of lives, in line with the objectives of the Decade of Action for Road Safety.
Speaking at the press conference of the launch, EU Commissioner for Transport Adina Vlean said: During this years European Mobility Week, around 3,000 cities from 50 countries will be encouraging their citizens to try out more sustainable ways of moving around. Walking and cycling are two such options. But sustainability must go hand-in-hand with safety, and sadly vulnerable road users are still over-represented in road fatality statistics: in the EU, pedestrians account for around 18% of fatalities, and cyclists for 9%. I welcome this global campaign to turn this around to help us learn from each other, raise awareness of how to keep all road-users safe, and ultimately to save lives.
Jean-Charles Decaux, co-CEO of JCDecaux said: We are very proud to partner with the United Nations and Jean Todt, the United Nations Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for Road Safety, to launch this international road safety campaign thats relevant to everyone. No matter how we travel, this important cause affects us all, from pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and drivers to people using new forms of mobility or making shared trips. We can all play a part in reducing the terrible consequences faced by so many families around the world. This campaign underlines how our sustainable media can use its power and mass reach to raise awareness of the safety rules that must be respected at all times and the care that must be taken, in order to ensure a safe and pleasant public space for us all.
#MakeaSafetyStatement
Under the motto #MakeaSafetyStatement, the campaign gathers celebrities to encourage road users to adopt simple and effective rules to stay safe on the road.
The first participating celebrities include:
- Naomi Campbell, supermodel
- Ousmane Dembl, football icon
- Patrick Dempsey, actor
- Novak Djokovic, tennis legend
- Didier Drogba, football legend
- Michael Fassbender, actor
- Julie Gayet, actress
- Charles Leclerc, F1 driver
- Marc Mrquez, motorcycle racer
- Kylie Minogue, musician
- Youssou NDour, musician
- Mick Schumacher, F1 driver
- Michelle Yeoh, Oscar-winning actress & UNDP Goodwill ambassador
They #MakeaSafetyStatement to:
- wear a seat belt
- drive slow
- wear a helmet
- not text and drive
- not drive under the influence
- not drive tired
and call on fans, followers and the public to adopt the same habits.
Note to editors
About some of the main causes of road crashes
Speeding
- The death risk for pedestrians hit by car fronts rises rapidly as vehicle speed increases (4.5 times from 50 km/h to 65 km/h).
- In Europe, some 30% of road fatalities (19,800 in 2021) are caused byexcessive or inappropriate speed.
Driving under the influence
- Driving under the influence of alcohol and any psychoactive substance or drug increases the risk of a crash.
- A 2022 study by U.S. highway safety regulators (NHTSA) found that more than half the people injured or killed in traffic crashes had one or more drugs, or alcohol, in their bloodstreams.
Distracted driving
- Drivers using mobile phones are approximately 4 times more likely to be involved in a crash
- Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, thats like driving the length of an entire football field with eyes closed.
- In the U.S., distracted driving is estimated to play a role in 25%-30% of fatal crashes, according to the National Distracted Driving Coalition(NDDC).
About the Special Envoy
UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, appointed in 2015 Jean Todt as his Special Envoy for Road Safety. He was reconfirmed in this role by Antnio Guterres, in 2017 and in 2021. In 2018, together with 14 UN organizations, the Special Envoy launched the UN Road Safety Fund (UNRSF). The Special Envoy contributes, among other things, to mobilize sustained political commitment to make road safety a priority; to advocate and raise awareness of UN legal instruments on road safety; to share established good practices in this area; to striving to generate adequate funding through strategic partnerships between the public, private and non-governmental sectors. Special Envoy brochure and Twitter account.
About UNECE
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is the custodian of the United Nations road safety legal instruments, applicable worldwide, which offer countries a basis to legislate to increase the safety of roads, vehicles and traffic.
It hosts the only permanent United Nations intergovernmental forum on road safety (Working Party on Road Traffic Safety) and the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations. UNECE also hosts the secretariats of the Special Envoy for Road Safety and of the UN Road Safety Fund.
About JCDecaux
JCDecaux a French family-owned company founded in 1964 and the No.1 outdoor advertising company worldwide is committed to improve the quality of life for people wherever they live, work and travel by offering innovative, sustainable street furniture and services that are meeting citizens expectations and financed by brands and their advertisement. With a presence in more than 80 countries, JCDecaux is the only company in the world to operate exclusively in the outdoor advertising sector and to develop all of its activities: street furniture, transport advertising and billboards. For almost 60 years, the products and services offered to cities by JCDecaux have been considered the benchmark for quality, aesthetics and functionality. As a sustainable media in contact with more than 850 million people every day and true to its mission of improving the quality of life for all citizens, JCDecaux enhances and promotes responsible outdoor advertising and places social and environmental quality at the core of its solutions and its business. Since 2023, JCDecaux is an official partner of the UN Joint SDG Fund, supporting the Sustainable Development Goals across its Group.
Aug 23, 2023 | Business
The United Nations (UN) Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Blockchain Assurance & Standardization Dynamic Coalition has distributed a suite of blockchain standards authored by the Government Blockchain Association (GBA) including standards for the use of blockchain technology in elections.
The GBA Voting Working Group that developed the election standard is comprised of election officials, election systems vendors, and blockchain experts from around the world. They are driven by a desire to make elections trustworthy and accessible to all voters. According to Utah County Commissioner, Amelia Powers Gardner, “Our county has proven that blockchain technology can secure remote electronic voting, providing access to voters that otherwise could not make it to polls.”
In addition to local election officials, the group also included blockchain-based election vendors. According to Linda Hutchinson, Director of QA & Compliance at Voatz, “Election officials need to have confidence that the systems they use have been objectively and independently verified as trusted solutions.” She goes on to say, “That is why the Voting Working Group is proposing standards for blockchain-based voting systems.”
The group is seeking comments from experts including local elections officials, election equipment vendors, election administrators, regulators, and observers. Comments are also solicited from policymakers, academics, technologists, and enthusiasts in the fields of blockchain and governance to provide their expertise and insights in an open call for comments on the Blockchain Maturity Model (BMM) Voting Systems Supplement.
As technology continues to revolutionize various sectors, the potential of blockchain in transforming the democratic process is undeniable. With its inherent attributes of transparency, immutability, and decentralization, blockchain has the capacity to enhance the integrity and trustworthiness of elections and voting systems worldwide.
The UN IGF Blockchain Assurance and Standardization Dynamic Coalition has been diligently working on a comprehensive Blockchain Standard tailored specifically for elections. The standard covers crucial areas including:
- Identity verification and authentication of voters
- Ballot casting, tracking, and tallying procedures.
- Ensuring voter privacy and anonymity
- Security measures against cyber threats and attacks
- Transparency and auditability of the entire process
To download the standards and provide comments please visit the Voting System Supplement Request for Comments page.
About the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF)
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a multi-stakeholder platform for discussing public policy issues related to Internet governance. It brings together diverse stakeholders, informs policymakers, shares best practices, and addresses emerging challenges without producing negotiated outcomes. The IGF’s mandate includes facilitating discourse between international bodies, advising on Internet accessibility in developing countries, and addressing issues like critical Internet resources and misuse.
About the Blockchain Assurance & Standardization Dynamic Coalition
The Blockchain Assurance & Standardization Coalition is an open, multistakeholder group hosted by the Government Blockchain Association (GBA). It focuses on defining specific areas of blockchain technology, conducting meetings, proposing standardization goals, piloting projects, and publishing results to promote high-quality, interoperable blockchain systems.
Contact:
Gerard Dache
Executive Director
Government Blockchain Association
gerard.dache@GBAglobal.org
Website: https://bit.ly/3qMMoOX
Topic: Press release summary
Jun 28, 2023 | Business
Kidney Care Partners (KCP) – the nation’s largest non-profit, non-partisan kidney care coalition dedicated to protecting access and comprised of more than 30 organizations, including patients, dialysis professionals, physicians, nurses, researchers, therapeutic innovators, transplant coordinators, and manufacturers – today issued the following statement expressing disappointment with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed rule on End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS), Payment for Renal Dialysis Services Furnished to Individuals with Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program (QIP), and End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices Model (ETC):
KCP is extremely concerned the CMS ESRD PPS proposed rule fails to heed calls from the kidney care community for meaningful relief to address the ongoing workforce crisis. The lack of attention and action on these labor issues, which impact the availability of vital healthcare services, is dismaying and short-sighted. With ESRD inflation-related labor costs around four percent nationally, CMS flatly rejected calls from providers, patients, and bipartisan Members of Congress to provide resources necessary to keep dialysis clinics open and ensure access to care for the individuals with ESRD, who, in the rule’s preamble, CMS, itself, recognized as among the most vulnerable of all beneficiaries.
Further, CMS’s rule doesn’t address policies that result in insufficient payment and instead proposes inadequate reimbursement for innovative treatment options, contributing to significant barriers to patient access and exacerbating already existing health equity concerns. Together, these provisions widen disparities for individuals living with kidney disease or failure, who are disproportionately from communities of color.
Due to a number of factors that make transplant – the ideal treatment – difficult to obtain, most individuals with kidney failure rely upon life-sustaining home or in-center dialysis sessions three or more times each week. Providing these services requires a highly trained and skilled healthcare workforce consisting of a diverse and knowledgeable team to develop and implement an individualized plan of care. These care teams include nephrologists, advanced practitioners (such as nurse practitioners or physician assistants), nephrology nurses, renal nutritionists, nephrology social workers, patient care technicians, renal technologists, administrative support, and financial counselors. Unfortunately, because of the ongoing healthcare labor crisis, many facilities cannot hire sufficient staff needed to support individuals receiving dialysis. Reductions in treatment capacity and closures of facilities altogether are some of the grave risks presented by the proposed rule’s policy choices.
Federal data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed an 8.3 percent increase in the cost of labor between the first quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2022.[1] In contrast, the Medicare rates were increased by only 3.0 percent for Calendar Year 2023, which is more than 5 percentage points less than the Administration’s own labor statistics. By statute, the annual Medicare payment increase is supposed to capture not only increases in labor costs, but also increased costs related to equipment, supplies, medication, and devices.
KCP is disappointed that CMS has refused to adopt the forecast error policies that it applies in other Medicare payment systems for the ESRD PPS. While this policy might not solve the payment adequacy problems in its entirety, it is an important step to help make sure that patients have access to the life-sustaining services they need.
Patient advocate Lori Hartwell of Renal Support Network said, “We can’t expect the kidney care treatment landscape to improve without access to innovation and a kidney care professional workforce. This rule doesn’t consider that without a workforce, people with kidney failure are denied access to care. It’s disappointing that this rule inadequately addresses these issues, as it’s ultimately people living with kidney disease who will suffer.”
KCP continued,
Given the options outlined in the Request for Information (RFI) and strong community and Congressional comments submitted as a result of that RFI in 2022, KCP is particularly disappointed in the proposed payment methodology for post-transitional drug add-on payment adjustment (TDAPA) drugs. We applaud CMS for recognizing that additional resources should be added to the payment rate for innovative drugs or biologicals that received TDAPA when the TDAPA period ends and for understanding the need to update the add-on amounts to reflect inflationary costs.
However, the proposal to add funding across all treatments will create significant access concerns for patients when the drug or biologic is medically needed for only a small percentage of patients. This approach simply will not provide adequate reimbursement to facilities when the product is used. Moreover, the proposal to limit the new funding only to three years creates a payment cliff that provides no sustainable pathway for the continued use of the product after the post-TDAPA period ends. These policies, coupled with limitations in utilization and the proposal to pay 65 percent of total drug expenditures rather than to use a more accurate offset calculation, result in a payment rate of a mere nine cents per treatment to the payment for the only TDAPA drug currently in use. Particularly concerning is that despite the agency’s assertion that it seeks to address health inequity for underserved communities, underfunding these treatments post-TDAPA will continue to expand the divide between those who can access new innovations and who cannot.
KCP Chair, John P. Butler noted, “It is crucial to ensure that changes in the payment system reflect the needs of the kidney care community and support the delivery of high-quality care. We urge CMS to thoroughly consider the community’s concerns and look forward to providing more specific feedback in our forthcoming comments.”
[1] BLS. “Employment Cost Index: Wages and salaries for All Civilian workers in Hospitals (2004-2022).” BLS.gov, https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CIS1026220000000I#0.
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