Victorian 'Safe Communities' Information Kit

Section 2 - Role of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion

The WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion has the primary responsibility for the development of the community-oriented injury prevention program of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion:

• reviews applications from communities related to the twelve Criteria for Safe Communities
• organises annual International Safe Community Conferences in conjunction with ‘Safe Communities’
• coordinates training courses mostly in the form of Safe Communities Travelling Seminars
• publishes a newsletter – ‘Safe Community News’
• participates in other conferences such as the biannual ‘World Conference on Injury Prevention and Control’
• conducts methodological development and transfer of technology
• organises networks for community programs
• participates in the World Health Organisation as well as the Swedish Bicycle Helmet Initiative
• conducts research on
  • Community safety promotion
  • Injury surveillance
  • Injuries among children and adolescents
  • Injuries among the elderly
  • Bicycle helmets
  • Work-related injuries
  • Injuries caused by violence (intentional injuries)
  • Other areas.

The WHO Safe Communities Network has been established on the basis of written agreements between the WHO Collaborating Centre at the Karolinska Institute and designated Safe Communities. Since 1989, 48 communities worldwide have been formally designated ‘Safe Communities’ and accredited as members of the WHO Safe Communities Network.

The above information is reproduced from the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion’s Internet site at http://www.phs.ki.se/csp/