Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has thrown his weight behind a high-profile UN road safety initiative launched in India by Special Envoy Jean Todt. The ‘Make a Safety Statement’ campaign rallies influencers to advocate daily safety measures via billboards, posters, and online buzz in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru.
Designed to engage leaders across fields, the drive amplifies the urgent need for road safety advocacy. Social media amplification ensures maximum reach and impact.
Tendulkar’s video message positions him among elite Global Champions, blending sports prestige with public health advocacy.
Todt warned of road accidents as a ‘silent pandemic,’ with India losing thousands yearly to this preventable scourge. Families suffer deeply, yet rapid mobility growth offers a chance for collaborative wins in reducing casualties.
Echoing the Marrakesh Declaration’s push to halve deaths by 2030, the envoy’s India visit addresses a crisis claiming 153,972 lives annually at 15.4 per 100,000. Vulnerable groups—pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists—face heightened risks.
A simultaneous UNRSF project, ‘Sustainable Financing for Road Safety in India,’ draws on WHO, UNICEF, and UNESCAP support. Implemented via partnerships in Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, it prioritizes funding frameworks, capacity building, and injury prevention.
This dual launch—awareness plus action—marks a strategic pivot. By integrating finance, planning, and advocacy, India edges closer to sustainable road safety, potentially saving countless lives in the years ahead.