The key issues that the project is addressing are the absence of reliable information regarding the urban development process and living conditions in these neighborhoods. Existing social services and infrastructure are neither sufficient, nor adequate. The current informal form of building poses some risks, particularly being located in the earthquake prone location that they are, with reference to little formal building control or regulation. Services are poor; electricity, water, gas, sanitation and drainage as well as for access to transport facilities are weak. Similarly, the quality of life for residents, particularly women and children, both in terms of ventilation and light inside buildings as well as external space for walking, playing, or access to shops and (health) facilitiesare limited. Information for advocacy and planning is needed not only to document environmental challenges and problems in these neighborhoods but also to create an urban dialogue with residents, young, old, women and men about their priorities and the potential they have to lead actions for improvement. Moreover, there is an immediate need to assist local stakeholders (local councils, local committees, the Palestinian Jerusalem governorate, etc…) in using the data in compelling and credible sources of information.
In the targeted
communities there are four councils who make decisions every day about the
allocation of scarce services. Rapid
growth of the population has put considerable pressure on them. Informal
systems have grown up in response to essential needs, such as water and
electricity. Despite advances information and
data on these fast-growing and low income areas is still limited. Without the
relevant information, it is verydifficult for the area to make choices for the
whole communities and citizens. The innovative and collaborative way to
generate such information will help bridge the engagement, information and
accountability gaps between councils and citizens and would particularly
provide detrimental impact on the Jerusalem's poorest neighborhoods. This project is significant because it will
focus on a large informal urban areas with limited governance and also it
employ new approaches.
The need for this project
stems from four main reasons: firstly;little is known about these new informal
housing areas and it is important to acquire more information about the neighborhoods. Secondly,
as the areas fall outside the perceived jurisdiction of the Jerusalem
Municipality and the legal responsibility of the Palestinian Authority in the
West Bank, they are very poorly served.
Reliable information is needed to draw attention to this issue. Thirdly,with
the application of new technology to collect information in popular and
accessible formats, the views of women and young people on their environment
may be sought and specific community action would be enabled in order to improve the living conditions.
Lastly, on another level, it is important to enable local stakeholders to use
factual data on key aspects of the community as an advocacy tool to proactively
engage decision makers and donors towards responsive action to the identified
emergency and development needs.
