Citizen Data National Consultant

Result of Service

Expected outputs and delivery dates - By 1 September 2026: Output 1: A draft workplan for the consultancy Output 2: Initial sets of curated documents based on earlier submissions/collections of documents Output 3: Draft structure of the Handbook on Capacity Building for Civil Society on the production and use of Data - By 30 November 2026: Output 4: Draft Handbook Output 5: Final Handbook, including the next steps to increase the capacity of civil society organisations in the field of statistics and monitoring of local SDGs Performance indicators • A clearly defined methodological approach. • Communication with the countries and the degree to which in-country contacts are handled diplomatically • Quality of the meeting organisation, contributions and reports, including the degree of them being reader-friendly, concise, clearly structured, organized and written. • Collaboration with the UNSD project team and other key stakeholders to the project. • Timeliness of delivery of outputs

Work Location

The consultant will be based in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. The consultancy is home-based with regular phone and web conference meetings with UNSD, project countries and other partners, as well as in-country visits to partners and government offices. Travel or return travel time to government offices or other relevant institutions, as well as related expenses, are not part of the consultancy.

Expected duration

The initial consultancy is from 1 August to 30 November 2026, with a possible extension.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Data For Now initiative (Data4Now), co-led by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD), and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), aims to develop countries’ capacities to deliver the information needed by local and national policy and decision-makers to achieve the 2030 Agenda. As part of the implementation of the Data4Now initiative, the project supports the development of capacities to (1) use innovative sources, technologies and methods for the streamlined production and dissemination of better, more timely and disaggregated data for sustainable development and (2) make analytic insights derived from them readily available to policy and decision-makers, while strengthening partnerships with government, academia, civil society, and the private sector. Mandated by the United Nations Statistical Commission at its 54th session, the Collaborative on Citizen Data (The Collaborative) was established in 2023, in recognition of the potential of citizen data to support effective reporting and policy development. It brings together actors from different sectors, including civil society, human rights institutes, national statistical offices and other government institutions, multilateral agencies and academia, working jointly towards strengthening citizen participation and leveraging solutions to produce and use citizen data for impact. Since its establishment, the Collaborative has taken on a number of tasks, most notably the completion and implementation of the Copenhagen Framework on Citizen Data, meant to serve as a joint reference for governments, civil society actors and other citizen data protagonists around the globe, guiding them to work with citizen data that is “fit for purpose” as well as for official purposes, e.g. in monitoring and planning processes. Kyrgyz Republic, with the National Statistical Commission (NSC) in the lead, has identified integrating citizen data for more inclusive monitoring, reporting, and decision-making as one of the priority areas to be supported by the Data for Now initiative and the Collaborative. Following request from the National Statistical Commission (NSC), a workshop on citizen data and participation in Kyrgyz’s Voluntary National Review was held in March 2025, supported by the Data for Now initiative, the Collaborative on Citizen Data, PARIS21, Open Data Watch and the National Statistical Commission (NSC), highlighting the critical role that civil society organizations (CSOs) can play in strengthening national data ecosystems, particularly in areas where official statistics alone cannot capture local realities or community-level disparities. The workshop was built on prior scoping exercise supported by the Data for Now initiative that provided a broad overview of the work of CSOs on data in the country. Participants emphasized that, for CSOs to meaningfully contribute to national planning and SDG monitoring, they need tools and training materials that build their technical understanding of official statistics and related standards and methodologies; and strengthen their ability to generate, interpret, and document evidence. The workshop recommended developing a consolidated, easy-to-access set of materials to help CSOs navigate foundational statistical concepts, understand data quality and align their work with SDG indicator methodology. These materials will also strengthen CSO capacity to produce and use citizen data, in line with the roadmap set out in the Copenhagen Framework on Citizen Data. Responding to this recommendation is essential for (a) improving inclusivity of the national data ecosystem and strengthening SDG reporting, and (b) advancing the broader movement to integrate citizen data into national statistical systems, thereby informing policy and supporting community-level action. Objective Under the guidance of UNSD, the Collaborative, and NSC, the consultant will support the strengthening of CSO’s statistical capacity in the Kyrgyz Republic by preparing a draft Handbook on Capacity Building for Civil Society on the production and use of Data. The work will also include developing the next steps to strengthen the capacity of civil society in the field of statistics and monitoring of local SDG data based on the collected materials and information from partners. The consultant will work closely with UNSD, the Collaborative, the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as the Public Council of the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. The consultant’s work assignment will involve the following: - Preparing the Handbook for Kyrgyzstan Selection and systematization of existing documents, country case studies, and publications for cooperation, organized in a structured and easily accessible format. Compilation of links to existing resources on data literacy and guidance on basic statistics production and data quality; SDG monitoring/indicator metadata. Development of the draft Handbook that facilitates the achievement of overall cooperation goals, taking into account the long-term needs of civil society capacity building. - Organizing two meetings with the key partners and members (bi-weekly at the initial stage). For the meetings, Preparing concept note/agenda Identifying and inviting speakers Advocating for the event Managing recording/minutes and sharing the minutes - Developing the next steps to increase the capacity of civil society organisations in the field of statistics and monitoring of local SDGs. - Supporting other activities and work around citizen generated data, including support Data for Now countries on the implementation of activities around this topic, including: Initiate/continue discussions with a selected number of countries regarding implementation of citizen data work, including NSOs and CSOs. Countries could include Bangladesh, Palestine, Sierra Leone, Viet Nam and others depending on interest and linkages to overall Data for Now work. Plan the implementation of work and help bring relevant experts and partners

Qualifications/special skills

Qualifications The consultant should be a national of Kyrgyz Republic or have a work permit/authorization to work in Kyrgyz Republic. Academic qualifications: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in statistics, economics, development studies, international relations, public administration, or a related field, with five (5) years of experience in the field of social sciences in required. A bachelor’s degree and two additional years of experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. Experience: • A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in social sciences, including statistics or economics, policies, or impact and evaluation, is required. • Solid experience working with traditional and non-traditional data sources and quality management is required. • Experience working with national statistical offices and liaison with regional and international partners are required. • Experience drafting practical guidance documents is required. • Experience in project or programme management is desirable. • Experience working with citizen data is desirable. • Knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals and national efforts to implement them is desirable.

Languages

Full command of spoken and written English, and Kirghiz or Russian is required. Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.