Safer, lower speed school zones are being implemented across Tunisia thanks to a two-year project by NGO Les Ambassadeurs de la Sécurité Routière (ASR), supported by the FIA Foundation. 

ASR has played a central role in Tunisia in developing its regulatory framework to mandate 30 km/h zones around schools and youth institutions. ASR also developed the ‘National Guide for Implementing 30 km/h Zones’, which was endorsed and published by the National Road Safety Observatory (ONSR) for all of Tunisia’s municipalities.  

At a regional level, ASR has been focusing on Tunis, where municipalities across the wider region implementing safer school journeys through the ‘Safer Roads for Children and Young People in Tunisia’ project. The project promoted evidence-based tools that integrate assessments into municipal programmes through a collaboration between ASR and national and local authorities. 

The project turned long standing advocacy for child road safety into concrete action, which has catalysed municipal investment, with over USD 600,000 committed to safer school zones. 

ASR also helped establish a high level, multi sectoral Steering Committee under the Governorate of Tunis, bringing together ministries, municipalities, law enforcement, and civil society. This coordination significantly increased institutional ownership, with an ONSR survey showing that 81% of decision makers support 30 km/h zones. To build local capacity, ASR trained 85 municipal engineers, school directors and 35 police and National Guard unit heads to identify and address risks around schools.  

A further major success is Tunisia’s first ‘Child Friendly Street’ in Kram, followed by 19 new 30 km/h school zones and three clustered areas. The project, which won the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award, has created a lasting partnership dedicated to preventing road traffic injuries among children. 

Afef Ben Ghenia, Founder and President, Association Les Ambassadeurs de la Sécurité Routière, said : “This project has shown us that meaningful change is possible when evidence, advocacy and strong partnerships come together. With limited resources, ASR and its partners have helped transform the 30 km/h principle from an advocacy demand into concrete action around schools. Our goal remains clear: no child should die or suffer a life-changing injury simply because they are travelling to school.”