Every year, around 1.2 million people die in road traffic accidents and injuries. In Cambodia, thousands of workers in garment and footwear factories risk their lives on the way to work using unsafe transportations. We talk to Mirjam Sidik, CEO of AIP Foundation, about the organization's work and how road accidents can be prevented.

Can you introduce AIP Foundation and what initiatives it drives, especially for the garment and textile sector?
Safe mobility remains a challenge for millions of vulnerable populations. Each year, approximately 1.2 million lives are lost due to road fatalities and injuries. We all deserve safe and equitable access to school, work, transport, and, above all, healthy and green cities in liveable neighborhoods around the world.

AIP Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives on the roads and increasing access to safe, equitable, and sustainable mobility for all - with a vision of a world with zero road injuries and fatalities. AIP Foundation tackles injustice related to youth education, workers’ rights, gender equality, and environmental issues.

Our work in Cambodia highlights our steadfast contribution to safe commuting. In Cambodia, thousands of garment and footwear factory workers risk their lives traveling to work via unsafe transport options. For most workers, illegally converted vehicles without proper seating are the only affordable way to commute to work and back home. Through three key programs “Prevention and Participation” (1), “Commuting Safety for Cambodian Workers” (2), and “Supporting Safe and Sustainable Commuting” (3) - AIP Foundation focuses on transitioning to safer transportation solutions and road safety education to shift towards positive and safe behaviors on the road.

What are the most significant road safety challenges that garment and textile workers face in Cambodia?
Commuting safety in Cambodia is a multifaceted issue. At AIP Foundation, we have seen that unsafe and overloaded vehicles, poor infrastructure, and inexperienced road users vastly contribute to road crashes and fatalities. Motorcycles are a common mode of transportation as it provides a cost-effective means of getting around. 

Many garment and footwear factory workers travel individually by motorcycle. In 2016, motorcyclists accounted for 73% of road crash fatalities in Cambodia. Due to poor infrastructure, unenforced transport standards,  and increased heavy traffic this continues to be an issue. In 2022, the National Social Security Fund reported that 2,989 collective vehicles provide transportation to more than 280,000 garment and footwear factory workers daily. Over 50% of these vehicles are pickup trucks, which are illegal for passenger transportation, overloaded, and poorly maintained.

The transition to safer vehicles is complex. Each corporation and factory management system has different policies and procedures in place. Most factories encourage workers to seek their own modes of transport. Due to the affordability of collective transport vehicles, factory workers opt to save money and use these vehicles as their primary mode of transportation.

What impact have AIP Foundation's programs had on improving road safety for garment and textile workers?
Since 1999, AIP Foundation has paved the way for sustainable mobility in more than 30 countries worldwide. Through our three target programs in Cambodia, we utilize a holistic approach to tackle commuting safety issues in the garment and footwear sector. These programs improve factory workers’ commuting safety through peer-to-peer road safety working groups, national and factory-level road safety workshops and capacity building, the development of factory-level road safety policies, and facilitating dialogues with government and non-government stakeholders to advocate for legislative policy change and adoption. We engage workers, management, community leaders, and more in our fight for an inclusive and accessible world.

In 2022, we educated more than 61,000 garment and footwear factory employees,  facilitated safer commuting conditions for more than 25,000 workers, and raised awareness about post-injury (crash) employment options among 58,474 Cambodian workers.  The Participation and Prevention program (1) aims to enable safe commutes for factory workers at 13 target factories. In 2023, the 13 factories indicated a 87% decline in recorded serious injuries and a 50% decline in recorded worker deaths when compared to the 2022 recorded factory health and safety rates.

Factories recognize the importance of commuting safety. Among 233 surveyed factories, 7,619 work days were lost due to road crashes in 2016. This imposes an economic burden on businesses, factories, and impacts Cambodia’s gross domestic product. (GDP) As we look toward 2024, AIP Foundation hopes to continue addressing key issues for garment and footwear workers and beyond through our country-specific programming.

AIP Foundation collaborates with various stakeholders. Can you discuss the importance of multi-sector collaboration in addressing road safety issues within the garment and textile sector?
In 2022, AIP Foundation engaged more than 890 stakeholders from governments and the civil society sector. Our holistic approach to sustainable mobility looks beyond road safety programming to national and regional level policy. To achieve safe and sustainable mobility we must work together. Multi-sector collaboration is essential for programming, increasing broader community outreach, and engagement with local or national governments. To generate a long-lasting impact, we must work with trade unions, sub-national level authorities, national governments, civil society organizations, media, factory owners, and brands.

Trade unions act as a liaison between workers and key stakeholders. Our collaboration with trade union representatives has increased the reach and support for the promotion of equitable factory working conditions. Our Cambodia country director, Kim Pagna, closely works to support the initiatives of the National Road Safety Committee (NRSC), the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), and holds a seat on the NSSF’s Road Traffic Safety Team. This collaboration vastly improved the success and reach of our programs.

AIP Foundation also focuses on helmet safety. Have you seen any changes in helmet-wearing behavior among garment and textile workers after the implementation of AIP Foundation's programs?
It is true that one of our focuses began with helmet safety. AIP Foundation played a pivotal role in advocating for the enactment of a helmet law in Vietnam mandating helmet use for motorcycle users. In 2007, the Vietnamese government passed the law increasing helmet use to 96%. Before the law, helmet use rates in cities were as low as 6%. AIP Foundation’s advocacy work also helped pass a passenger helmet law in Cambodia in 2015. Previously, only drivers were required to wear helmets. However, through experience, we realized that addressing helmet use is only one component of an integrative multi-component approach. We currently approach sustainable mobility through our five-gear model: targeted education, access to safe equipment, communications for change, global and legislative advocacy, research, and monitoring and evaluation to achieve safe mobility for all.

We continue to educate and advocate for quality helmet use. In 2022, more than 18,000 helmets were donated to vulnerable populations in the Asia Pacific region. In target areas, the helmet-wearing rate increased from 26% to 64% after AIP Foundation‘s interventions. This increase is primarily represented among youth and students. Generally, it is challenging to achieve drastic behavior changes among adults. As of November 2023, the overall helmet-wearing rate amongst 42 factories in Cambodia increased from 61% to 76% after our intervention.

Could you provide examples or details about any specific road safety programs, such as helmet distributionor education sessions, that you've been a part of or observed?
In April 2023, we were honored to attend the Community Bike Day in Pleiku City, Vietnam. This event is a part of the Slow Zones, Safe Zones (4) (5) (6) program in partnership with the National Traffic Safety Committee, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Gia Lai Traffic Safety Committee, and the Pleiku’s People Committee. This event encouraged students and their families to use and advocate for sustainable transportation, such as biking and walking.

Youth are the future. It was wonderful to have an opportunity to empower and encourage young people to advocate for safer sustainable modes of transportation. Recently, we’ve begun to leverage technology to increase youth engagement. Ai&Me is a program funded by Foundation Botnar that enables youth to identify and report high-risk road conditions from a youth engagement app. Last year, Google.org granted iRAP and partners $2 million with AIP Foundation as Vietnam's lead partner to make children safe on their way to school. This prompted the expansion of the Ai&Me program. In Thailand, we continue to engage youth through our Chevron Street Wise (7) program which improves road safety knowledge amongst primary-aged children. In Cambodia, we strive to ensure a safe journey to school for all. Safe Steps Road Safety (8) reduces road crash fatalities and injuries by improving traffic safety knowledge and skills among primary school students and raising public awareness in target communities. Going beyond our country-specific initiatives, our goal is to improve sustainable mobility across the region. We are currently building the capacity of FIA Clubs in the Asia Pacific to implement speed management and other school safety measures.

Can you share your thoughts on the impact of distracted driving, and the relevance of addressing this issue?
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of road crashes globally. This is commonly associated with young motorcycle drivers in Southeast Asia. Anything that takes the attention away from the driver can be a distraction. Sending a text message, talking on a mobile phone, using a GPS system, and eating while driving are a few examples of distracted driving. Drivers using mobile phones are approximately four times more likely to be involved in a crash than drivers not using a mobile device. To safeguard the lives of youth and our communities we must take action. Educating and raising awareness amongst road users on safe driving practices is necessary.

Between 2018 and 2020, AIP Foundation collaborated with the Cambodia Traffic Police and the Department of Order for a street-based public awareness campaign as part of the Safety Delivered program. This initiative enabled young ambassadors for road safety (YARS) and officers to pass out road safety flyers and stickers to motorcyclists, drivers, truckers, and more along National Road No. 1, 4, 5, and 6A. We continue to engage road users in road safety education through our current programs in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

In 2020, the active engagement of YARS through advocacy activities with national government officials led to the enforcement, for the first time in Cambodia, of mobile phone use among motorcycle drivers without hands-free accessories.

What are your suggestions for effectively educating and raising awareness among drivers in the garment and textiles sector, about the dangers of distracted driving? 
In the garment and textile sector, we raise awareness amongst drivers and workers through promotional campaigns. The production of billboards, posters, and signs in at-risk areas raises awareness amongst workers, drivers, and the local community. Currently, we are working with factories, trade unions, local authorities, and additional relevant stakeholders to further implement our “How’s My Driving?” campaign. This campaign puts “How’s My Driving?” stickers on commuter vehicles to empower workers and concerned road users to voice their concerns.

Worker empowerment is crucial for successful awareness campaigns. Our “Cambodia Garment Factory Case Studies” video campaign shares workers’ authentic experiences commuting to work. These real-life experiences showcase the importance of road safety.

How does the safety of commuting to and from work impact the well-being and productivity of garment and textile workers in your area?
We all deserve safe and reliable transportation to and from work. In 2022, more than 3,000 factory workers were injured and more than 63 died commuting to and from work in the garment and footwear sector. Women are disproportionately involved in commuting crashes. These women face a daily commute that is increasingly hazardous. One-third of workers use collective transport vehicles, standing trucks, that are overpacked and rundown. These vehicles are often operated without roofs. When it rains in Cambodia, workers are exposed to the weather conditions and can get sick. These conditions significantly affect the well-being of factory workers.

There are more than 800,000 garment and footwear factory workers in Cambodia. Road traffic injuries and fatalities severely impact the victims and their families. 2 million family members are supported by factory workers. In 2016, 7,619 workdays were lost due to road crashes among 233 factories. This affects workers’ livelihoods and productivity. We must support and advocate for the transition to safer vehicles to ensure workers’ safety.

What road safety measures or programs should be prioritized in the garment and textile sector for the future?
There is still more work to be done. Through AIP Foundation’s interventions at more than 40 factories, it is clear that factory-level road safety policies are necessary and beneficial for garment and footwear factory workers. As we look toward 2024, the implementation of a road safety policy at the factory level nationally is necessary to ensure all workers have safe commutes. A national approved policy ensures that all factories, regardless of the sector or corporation, will adhere to road safety implementation. This is a top priority for us and many other nonprofit organizations on the ground in Cambodia.

The government of Cambodia has designated road safety as a top priority. The Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Ministry of Interior, H.E. Sar Sokha, and the National Road Safety Committee (NRSC) Chairman have officially launched the Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021-2030) with a goal of cutting road injuries and fatalities in half by 2030. The Cambodian government aims to facilitate the provision of comfortable transportation services to factory workers by 2027. The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has been entrusted to focus on education, safety and benefits for workers, and to cooperate with stakeholders to study mechanisms needed to change the means of transportation of workers by 2027.

Can you share any success stories or best practices related to occupational safety for garment and textileworkers, particularly those related to road safety in the countries you work?
Our interventions in the garment and footwear sector, utilize an innovative approach by leveraging global brands and international agencies to encourage and enforce worker safety improvements at a global scale. Each of these interventions engage a variety of stakeholders including: trade unions, road safety working groups, factory management, and national and sub-national government representatives. This practice ensures the longevity and sustainability of our work. Promotional materials, workshops, and training sessions are key to engage workers and the local community in road safety efforts. In addition to these practices, the development of a national factory road safety policy will standardize these efforts nationwide.

VF Corporation won the 2022 Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for their efforts to improve commuting conditions for factory workers through the Prevention and Participation program. This award recognizes the impact the Prevention and Participation program has on 13 VF Corporation-operated factories.

Mirjam Sidik is the CEO of AIP Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives on the roads and increasing access to safe, equitable, and sustainable mobility for all. Concerned by the growing crisis and impact of road crashes on children and youth, Mirjam joined AIP Foundation in 2005 to improve the lives of vulnerable communities in low- and middle-income countries. For more than 18 years, she has used her expertise and experience to build AIP Foundation into a renowned implementer of global road safety solutions, cultivating strong working relationships with governments, civil society organizations, and corporate stakeholders. As a member of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration, Mirjam is providing inputs to reports to the UN General Assembly.

Footnotes

1. VF Corporation
2. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Solidarity Center
3. Civil Society in Development (CISU) through AIP Foundation Denmark
4. Foundation Botnar
5. Global Road Safety Partnership
6. International Road Assessment Programme
7. Chevron Thailand
8. Prudence Foundation/ Prudential Cambodia