AfroSAFE webinar February 2024
Paulo Freire's ‘praxis’ and implication for a transformative road safety policy in Africa
How does one mobilize action at national and sub-national levels to move away from business as usual to significantly improve road safety in Africa? The philosophy of Paulo Freire, especially his concept of ‘praxis’, suggests possible lines of approach at micro levels in road safety policy.
Praxis consists of both a reflection (analysis) and an action directed at the issue to be transformed. This approach entails continuous critical reflection on a situation, taking action to change its reality, and assessing the results, reflecting on and revising the action. Based on that revision, further action is taken, and the action again reflected on until an existing social reality is transformed by people who have named the world, or reality, in their own words, and have an ethical and political commitment to sustain the transformation.
Creating, sustaining, and supporting praxis communities at national and local levels in Africa are key in translating noble road safety visions into local reality of analysis and action on road infrastructure, legislation, public transport, enforcement, landuse planning, vehicles, and trauma care. The cumulated local reflections and actions from around Africa provide the bites that will eat away the figures that add up to about 272 000 road traffic fatalities in the African region.
About the speaker
Dr. Meleckidzedeck Khayesi holds a PhD degree in Transport Geography. He is currently based in the Department of Social Determinants of Health at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. He facilitates the development, implementation and evaluation of road safety programmes in countries, prepares policy guidance, and supports road safety capacity development. He loves transformative pedagogy and local level-led development change.
