This area of work covers multiple forms of violence throughout the life course, road traffic injuries, and other injuries. Addressing violence and injuries requires comprehensive intersectoral action across relevant government, civil society, and private sectors, including health, transportation, education, justice, and safety, among others. Nonetheless, the health sector has an essential role to play, given its mandate to address all major causes of morbidity and mortality. Health systems are also adversely affected by the resulting burden of the direct costs of injuries and violence. Therefore, the scope of technical work will include:

a) Strengthening health leadership and governance, through collaboration with other sectors, to raise awareness and create an enabling legal and policy environment to address violence and injuries, with a focus on reducing risk factors for violence (including alcohol) and addressing gender-based violence.

b) Establishing or strengthening violence surveillance systems to improve the production, dissemination, and use of data on the magnitude and consequences of violence and injuries, the characteristics of the most affected groups, and evidence on what works to prevent and respond to violence and injuries.

c) Promoting and strengthening policies and programs for prevention of violence and injuries, and implementing relevant population-level prevention and health promotion activities.

d) Establishing or strengthening national agencies for road safety with the authority and responsibility to make decisions, administer resources, and coordinate actions across relevant government sectors.

e) Promoting intersectoral collaboration for the creation of mass transit systems to help diminish the individual use of motor vehicles and encourage the use of safer, cleaner modes of transportation in order to reduce exposure to the risk of road traffic injuries, reduce diseases caused by motor vehicle emissions, and increase physical activity.

f) Promoting the development of infrastructure conducive to safe transit for all users of roads and highways, particularly pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, who are the most vulnerable road users.

Note: For further details on the scope of this Outcome, please refer to the PAHO Strategic Plan 20-25 Document.