Goal 16 - Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Goal 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies

_“The threats of international homicide, violence against children, human trafficking and sexual violence are important to address to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. They pave the way for the provision of access to justice for all and for building effective, accountable institutions at all levels. _

To tackle these challenges and build a more peaceful, inclusive societies, there needs to be more efficient and transparent regulations put in place and comprehensive, realistic government budgets. One of the first steps towards protecting individual rights is the implementation of worldwide birth registration and the creation of more independent national human rights institutions around the world.”

At its core, open mapping promotes participatory action that increases the representation of communities, especially marginalized and hidden communities, in decision-making. By representing community needs and values through open mapping, societies can become more just and inclusive. The need for maps which track human displacement, resettlement, and access to services has become vital to rapidly changing societies. OpenStreetMap is used by UNHCR and humanitarian agencies in decisions that improve conditions for refugees, internally displaced persons, and others, as well as helping vulnerable populations navigate new environments.

What has been done?

• Local Empowerment for Government Inclusion and Transparency: In Liberia, HOT worked with USAID and DAI to map administrative boundaries and service delivery infrastructure to support the development of urban resilience strategies. This project incorporated national and local government, community-based organizations, and universities to map administrative boundaries and services to improve communication and participation in local government.
• Crowdsourcing Non-Camp Refugee Data Through OpenStreetMap: In Turkey and Uganda, the project aimed to improve program planning and service delivery to refugee communities, develop better integration with host communities, and build refugee self-reliance through open map data. The program trains and equips community leaders in refugee communities to map vulnerabilities and assets in the places they live, filling in key data gaps and “blank spots” on the map.

What else can be mapped?

• Mapping administrative and civic services available to citizens and refugees.
• Mapping justice and security services to understand gaps in and monitor justice and security services.
• Mapping communication facilities (i.e. radio stations) to monitor protection of free speech.
• Use open mapping as a platform to bring together refugees and host communities or bridge religious or ethnic gaps by developing projects that include multiple segments of society working together toward a common goal.