Youth and Humanitarian Action: Open Mapping Partnerships for Disaster Response and the SDGs

Abstract

Use of data and digital technologies has dramatically changed the look, feel, and efficacy of humanitarian action over the past decade. Partnerships among data producers and data users in all sectors have increased access to and sharing of data across agencies and responders, and thus amplified the impact of youth in this domain. At the heart of those partnerships are young people, often university students, especially those who make up the YouthMappers network. Our close partnership between YouthMappers and the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team has not only advanced the global goals for disaster response and for development in their future workplaces and innovations, but also for global goals to enable better alliances across public, private, and nonprofit partnerships.