Join us
If you see value in our vision and mission and share the goals of the International Charter for Walking, you are welcome to become a member of IFP. Please fill in the membership application form for organizations or individuals. Membership for individuals or non-profit organizations is free.
Voting members of IFP are organizations and institutions independent from political parties and whose primary or most important activities correspond with the goals of IFP. As for now, we welcome local pedestrian associations as well as national ones as voting members. The board can restrict the number of member organizations of one country which are voting members. Organisations that deal with pedestrian issues only as a minor part of their activity (e.g. bicycle and environment organisations) are welcome to become associated members. For more details see the IFP voting membership policy.
Associate members are any other organizations, institutions, and individuals who share IFP’s goals, and wish to support its work in any way. They receive information but have no voting right. For more details see the IFP Associate membership policy.
What can IFP do for you?
IFP is a network of experts and organizations and institutions interested in improving the situation of pedestrians. You may profit from the knowledge of others. Ask any question, and we shall try to find an adequate answer among our members.
Through this site and our Facebook page you can gain visibility for your projects, seek support or input from others or join a discussion on various topics.
What can you do for IFP?
You may send us information, links and articles on pedestrian issues for the publication on the website, if they are of international interest.
Your address is for internal use only, but the e-mail address might be sent to anyone who likes to contact you (the members in your country or the members with your field of interest). – Your data won’t be used for any other purpose than communication among IFP-members.
For more information on membership policy for organizations, see the general membership page.
For more information on membership policy for individuals, see the general membership page.
The key focus of a pedestrian association it to motivate politicians and planners to think positively about walkability in their community and carry this approach through to all their decisions. This includes the structure of the public space, vehicle speed an parking (and the enforcement thereof) and genuine accessibility considerations, with appropriate status given to the different transport modes in the community.
Walking is such a normal and everyday activity that it might seem unnecessary to join an association to do it. While, even for many active pedestrians, it is not at all obvious what an organization focusing on pedestrian could be good for, there is huge value in bundling focus on pedestrian quality needs and actively join such an organization.
Local Level
Individual pedestrians who claim their rights usually have to point out a lot of small and seemingly unimportant things: garbage bags, dog excrements and cars parked “temporarily” on the sidewalks, long waiting times at traffic lights, detours, etcetera. The local policeman may consider people who complain about such things as intolerant and stubborn sorts. But as soon as a number of persons form a pedestrian association, collect the incidents and present the cause of the pedestrian as what it is, a public interest – the situation can change. In each city the reasons for having a pedestrian association may be different, but it is clear, one is much more effective as part of an association than to be just a few individuals if complaints have to be made – and if they should have consequences.
National Level
National associations can do much more than pointing out local obstacles, they can work towards a better legal framework for pedestrians; they can influence the thinking of planners, of safety officials, the press, and the public in general. A delegate of a pedestrian association may become a member of a policy making commission or of a jury that judges projects. Often the point of view of persons in charge of taking the position of the pedestrian (including the handicapped, the elderly and the children) possesses an important expertise in solving traffic problems, and is recognized as such. A national pedestrian association has the ability to raise the awareness in all fields of interest to the individual walker: safety, security, comfort, health and respect.
International Pedestrian Organisations
On an international level, there are structures with different commissions which produce rules and standards for nearly everything, particularly everything relevant for road safety. If we manage to sit in the right places, we may influence the attitudes of governments towards the pedestrian cause.
The International Federation of Pedestrians (IFP) was founded in 1963 as the umbrella organization for national pedestrian advocacy groups. Over the years IFP has organized many international meetings dealing with various aspects of improving the pedestrian’s lot, including conferences in NL-The Hague (1972 and 1979), London (1975), Amsterdam (1975), N-Geilo (1976), Paris (1978), S-Goeteborg (1981), F-Perpignan (1983). After these conferences occasional and informal meetings have taken place.
For some years, IFP published a quarterly newsletter, Pedestrian International, and an occasional series of more technical material under the title of The Voice of the Pedestrian.
From 1963 to 1985 IFP concentrated its efforts on the problems of pedestrians in the industrially advanced countries. Since 1987 it also included pedestrians in developing countries, where the levels of motorization have been rising sharply, accompanied by an alarming increase in the number of traffic deaths and injuries.
IFP co-sponsored ICOTS 91, the International Conference on Traffic Safety, held in January 1991 in New Delhi, India, on the theme “The Vulnerable Road User”. IFP helped to organize the Pedestrians Association of India in early 1991, and is now offering help to found new pedestrian associations all over the world.
In 2005 IFP was relaunched with a new logo and website. It continues to grow a network of pedestrian associations, individuals and other institutions interested in walking.
In 2009 IFP participated in the First Global Meeting of NGOs Advocating for Road Safety and Road Victims and becomes a member of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC).
In 2013 IFP has been an important contributor the publication by WHO of the Pedestrian Safety Manual. IFP published the Mission and Vision statements.
Between 2017 – 2019 IFP was a partner in MORE (Multi-modal Optimisation of Road-space in Europe), a 3 year project that was awarded a EU Grant.
In 2019 IFP Strengthened international impact through supporting EU GSR, contribution to Ministerial Conference in Stockholm, interventions and presentations worldwide.
In 2020 we hired a policy officer that allowed IFP to engage in more structural work with UNECE’s Global Forum for Road Safety (WP1).
In 2023 IFP started two Horizon Europe projects – UPPER (Unleashing the potential of public transport in Europe) and REALLOCATE (Rethinking the dEsign of streets And pubLic spaces to Leverage the mOdal shift to Climate-friendly Active Transport Everywhere).
