Applying Digital Communication and GIS for Community Planning and Development, Duhok as a Case Study

Nowadays GIS is widely used in community planning and development and digital communication is taking a wide scope particularly in delivering different massages and ideas that can be useful in enabling community and planning. This study attempted to use the potential power of both tools by engaging young persons to express their voices and perspectives so as contribute to planning and developing their community. Thirty middle and high school and university students were trained in use of photovoice and digital storytelling to depict their living environment and highlight issues of concern regarding the urban/living environment with the hope of bringing them to the attention of the local decision-makers so as to address them as public issues that require immediate consideration. This initiative which meanwhile aimed to promote participation of young people under 18 years in community development resulted in identifying a number of urban/living environment issues which are a public concern. On top of the issues identified were the poor management of (solid) waste and poor transportation system/structure which have led to a combination of environmental pollutions with multiple impacts on the residents. The produced photovoices, digital stories and GIS maps proved to be efficient means for sharing public issues with the wider audience using social media especially Facebook.