Phnom Penh Earns WHO Award After Major Road Safety Gains
Phnom Penh Earns WHO Award After Major Road Safety Gains
SYDNEY, Sept. 4, 2026 — Phnom Penh has received a 2026 World Health Organization (WHO) Healthy Cities Recognition Award for its efforts to improve road safety and promote safer, healthier and more equitable urban mobility.
The award was presented on Sept. 1 in Sydney, Australia, during the 11th Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities, with Phnom Penh Governor Khuong Sreng receiving the award on behalf of the capital. More than 150 cities across the Asia-Pacific region applied for the 2026 recognition, with eight ultimately selected, including Phnom Penh.
Phnom Penh was recognised under the category “Safe, Active and Health-enabling Transport: Advancing Health and Reducing Inequities in Urban Mobility”, particularly for its Safe School Zone Project, which combines road-safety measures, infrastructure improvements, speed management, enforcement and community education.
The pilot project, launched in 2025, focused on two schools — Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship School and Hun Sen Chak Angre Primary and Secondary School — located in areas with heavy traffic and heightened risks for students, teachers and residents.
The Phnom Penh administration introduced three major measures: road-safety education for students and residents; improvements to infrastructure and installation of traffic signs, road markings, smart speed-limit displays and security cameras; and stronger traffic monitoring, including the deployment of traffic police and officers around schools during peak arrival and departure times.
According to WHO-related reporting, the project was associated with a 58% reduction in self-reported crashes, while safety ratings at the two participating schools improved from one star to 4.2 and 3.5 stars, respectively. The initiative also provided road-safety training to around 500 students and contributed to lower vehicle speeds.
Phnom Penh officials said the recognition reflects broader efforts to improve residents’ health and wellbeing through better infrastructure, transport systems, education and public-health initiatives.
The capital has worked with the Partnership for Healthy Cities since 2017, implementing initiatives including improved food safety in educational institutions, measures to reduce drunk-driving crashes and smoke-free public spaces in tourist and pedestrian areas.
The award highlights Phnom Penh’s efforts to integrate road safety, public health and urban development, particularly in protecting children and improving mobility in a rapidly growing capital.
