World Health Day 2025: On transport and the health of women, babies, and everyone, really
Each 7 April, World Health Day focuses on a specific health topic, with this year’s theme being ‘Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures.’ Drawing attention to the survival and well-being of women and babies, this theme underscores the critical need for access to quality care, especially in times of humanitarian crisis and widening inequalities.
The journey to better health begins not just in hospitals and clinics—it begins in the streets, on buses, in neighbourhoods, and in how cities are planned. At the intersection of mobility and well-being, transport systems play a pivotal role in shaping maternal and child health outcomes. Safe, accessible, and inclusive mobility is fundamental to ensuring that women and caregivers can reach essential health services, move independently, and live healthier lives.
Investment in healthcare is critical, but so is equitable transport
Every year, nearly 300,000 women die from pregnancy and childbirth complications, while more than two million babies die within their first month, and another two million are stillborn—amounting to one preventable death every seven seconds. These tragic outcomes are most common in countries facing conflict, poverty, and inadequate infrastructure, including transport systems that fail to connect people with care.
If current trends continue, most countries will fall short of the UN’s 2030 targets for reducing maternal and newborn mortality. While investment in healthcare is critical, a holistic approach must also recognise the importance of equitable transport. Mobility must be reimagined not just as a means of movement, but as a pathway to health, dignity, and opportunity for all.
Active travel improves health...
The way we move has a profound impact on both our physical and mental health. Active travel—such as walking, cycling, and wheeling—offers well-established benefits: it promotes physical activity, supports broader well-being, improves safety, and reduces environmental harm. At POLIS, we are committed to making active mobility a truly sustainable choice to enhance the quality of life for all.
Our Working Group on Active Travel & Health focuses on embedding active travel into everyday life as a means to improve public health. A key initiative under this group is the HL4EU project, which promotes active, healthy lifestyles through cross-sectoral collaboration and local-level action. Walking, wheeling, and cycling are not just transport options but also boost well-being, independence, and social connection. These benefits apply to all ages, as highlighted in last year’s webinar, which explored how age-specific needs should be considered in mobility planning.
... And then some!
Yet, many cities still fail to account for the needs of babies, toddlers, and their caregivers. Mobility systems continue to be designed around car-centric infrastructure and masculine mobility norms, often overlooking the daily realities of women and other marginalised groups. This car-dominated planning model harms health and social cohesion, increasing exposure to air pollution, road danger, noise, and isolation. Recognising this and the need for women's representation in the transport sector, the SUM4ALL Gender Working Group has been collecting insights and developing practical resources to promote women’s entry and career progression in mobility so that our sector can better meet the needs of women.
Road safety remains a top concern for caregivers—particularly in urban areas where children cannot walk or cycle safely. Fortunately, some cities are beginning to rethink mobility through a caregiving lens. In Leuven, the Belgian non-profit Mobiel 21 mapped cycling mothers’ safety concerns, revealing the importance of protected bike lanes, conflict-free intersections, and low-traffic streets to support safe child mobility. Other inspiring examples include Turku, where the SCALE-UP project has introduced a centralised bike-loaning system for schools and daycare centres. In Portugal, Bicicultura and APSI are rolling out citywide bike-sharing programmes and organising cycling groups to promote safe and accessible mobility for children.
Clean air keeps the doctor away
Transport can also negatively impact our health, as it is one of the most polluting sectors, costing public healthcare more than 1,200 € per inhabitant per year. In Europe, air pollution is the number one environmental risk, causing premature deaths and the increase of cases of asthma, heart disease, and stroke. Vulnerable groups, including mothers and children, are disproportionately affected by air pollution.
The modes of transport available in our cities and regions are connected with urban planning, the environment, and health. Reducing transport-related emissions is a priority for POLIS, with the Clean Vehicles & Air Quality Working Group supporting decarbonisation through peer exchanges and capacity building.
One of the main issues is capitals and major cities, which face higher levels of air pollutants: in 2021, 97% of the urban population in the EU was exposed to concentrations of fine particulate matter above the level recommended by the WHO.
Check our interview with Lars Strömgren!
Introducing low-emission zones, where access is restricted to polluting vehicles, has proven to be effective. London, as part of its Clean Air Policy launched in 2019, has implemented an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in its central area. Data show the success of the initiative, significantly reducing harmful roadside nitrogen dioxide pollutant levels. Similarly, Stockholm is setting new benchmarks in urban sustainability, and the introduction of a low-emission zone has led to a 40% reduction in particulate matter.
Healthy and accessible for everyone
Transport poverty is a structural barrier to social and economic inclusion, unfairly affecting vulnerable groups. The purpose of transport is access, and a lack of accessible modes of transport harms access to essential services, such as healthcare, education, or employment. To ensure no one is left behind, POLIS has launched the Just Transition Taskforce to advocate for a fair, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable urban mobility transition.
The Social Climate Fund (SCF), introduced by the European Union, is a key tool in this effort. It empowers local and regional governments to implement targeted interventions that both address social needs and support sustainable transport solutions. In our latest policy paper, 'Fighting Transport Poverty with the Social Climate Fund,' developed by the Governance & Integration Working Group, we provide practical recommendations for defining transport poverty and delivering effective, context-sensitive solutions.
However, one size does not fit all, and solutions must consider the mobility challenges faced by different generations. Young people often face affordability barriers, while older adults are more likely to struggle with accessibility, safety, and independence. These issues were explored in our POLIS Public Transport Lab webinar series, which highlighted findings from the ‘Transport to Thrive’ study conducted by the University of the West of England Bristol and Sustrans. The study found that transport barriers negatively impact young people’s ability to access education, jobs, and social opportunities. In response, the policy briefing ‘Fair Bus Fares for Young People,’ calls on national governments to implement affordable public transport fares for under-25s.
Encouragingly, innovative approaches are emerging across Europe. In Oslo, the Pink Bus—a demand-responsive transport service—is improving mobility for older citizens. Meanwhile, Vervoereggio Amsterdam, with support from the Interreg North-Sea project SMALL, is implementing a volunteer-driven shared mobility pilot to make transport more inclusive for individuals with reduced mobility.
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