Development of Open Data Policy in Libya

Result of Service

• The report prepared should be in Arabic and in electronic format. • The report submitted should not be less than 30 pages. • A 2 to 4 pages executive summary of the report. The completed parts should be edited and saved in MS-Word (*.docx file) or an alternate compatible format. PDF format will not be accepted. It should include a table of contents to be automatically updated followed by a list of all tables and figures. The various parts should be submitted in electronic form and sent to the email address of the designated focal point. Attention is kindly drawn to the need to ensure that the final draft of the outputs be thoroughly reviewed prior to submission and to indicate the sources of tables and diagrams. References to reports and other substantive material should be clearly indicated within the text and noted at the end. It is also essential to send, with the completed output, photocopies or scans of at least the first page of books, reports and bulletins, used as reference material as well as copies of the pages quoted. The content of the generated document shall be the sole property of ESCWA. The consultant shall keep in mind that UN-ESCWA routinely checks all deliverables for plagiarism, using readily available electronic tools. All previously published content, even if written by the selected consultant, must be clearly referenced where required within the text and end-noted at the end of the study. The report submitted by the consultant must not contain quoted and/or previously published text equalling more than 20 per cent of the total number of pages. The consultant shall not publish or announce or reveal the content of the report, partly or entirely, on social media or any other public channel, without ESCWA and GIA permission. The content of the generated document shall be the sole property of ESCWA.

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

16 weeks

Duties and Responsibilities

GENERAL SCOPE Open data is widely recognized as a foundational enabler of sustainable development because it improves evidence-based decision-making, transparency, and citizen participation. Timely, accessible, and shareable data supports human centered innovation, strengthens public service delivery, and enhances accountability in governance systems. In fact, open government data operationalizes transparency, a core principle of effective governance for achieving the 2030 Agenda, by making public sector information reusable for social and economic value creation. In this context, open data contributes directly to multiple SDGs, including institutional effectiveness (SDG 16), innovation (SDG 9), and partnerships (SDG 17) . Globally, open data is transforming digital economies and governance systems by enabling innovation, improving policy design, and supporting data-driven ecosystems. Open data enhances democratic engagement and stimulates innovation by allowing businesses and citizens to reuse government data for new services and insights. At the same time, ITU data shows that the rapid expansion of digital connectivity—with around 74% of the global population online in 2025—creates unprecedented opportunities for open data use, although gaps persist across regions . Regionally, particularly in developing and Arab countries, open data can help address structural challenges by improving coordination and reducing information asymmetries. However, disparities in infrastructure, governance maturity, and digital skills mean that the impact of open data varies significantly, requiring tailored policies and capacity-building interventions to unlock its full potential. One leading global example is the United Kingdom’s data.gov.uk platform, which releases thousands of datasets across sectors such as transport, health, and the economy, enabling businesses to build data-driven services and enhancing government transparency . This demonstrates that when supported by policy frameworks and stakeholder engagement, open data can generate tangible economic and governance benefits in both advanced and developing contexts. For Libya, adopting a comprehensive open data policy is particularly critical given the country’s challenges and limited availability of reliable data. An open data policy would help address these gaps by standardizing data collection and sharing, improving trust in public institutions, and enabling evidence-based reforms. The General Information Authority (GIA) in Libya requested the technical assistance of ESCWA to develop the national open data policy. The objective of this consultancy is to provide an advisory service to assist ESCWA team in suggesting the national open data policy to the GIA. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The consultant shall propose to the designated ESCWA focal point a detailed version of the open data policy. To produce the draft policy, the consultant is requested to conduct, among others, the main following tasks: 1. Review the national digital documents and the existing policies and strategies in Libya related to digital transformation, innovation, digital technologies, and other related national development plans; 2. Review best regional and international best practices related to open data policies and frameworks (at least 2 selected regional and 2 international cases); 3. Identify main national stakeholders, hold, in coordination with GIA, interviews and meetings with the main national stakeholders and preparing minutes of each meeting/interview summarizing the discussed points, their remarks, observations and proposals; 4. Contribute to sectoral workshops to discuss needs and priorities, if needed; 5. Prepare the needed policy based on international and regional best practices, gap analysis, national needs (SWOT analysis); 6. Present the draft report in a national workshop or meeting (physically or remotely) and capture the main comments and findings of the discussions; 7. Update the draft proposal according to all received feedback and comments during the reviewing process by ESCWA and GIA. ESCWA promotes gender equality and integration of youth through its publications and therefore the consultant should pay attention, with the help of ESCWA staff, to gender considerations and youth dimension throughout the research work to ensure that the report gives equal attention to the needs of both men and women, as well as girls and boys. Writing should use gender-sensitive language.

Qualifications/special skills

A Master's degree in ICT, technology, engineering, computer science or a related field is required. A Ph.D. degree is desired. All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. At least 5 years of professional experience and research in the domain of digital technologies is required. Previous experience in the delivery of research papers is desirable. Previous experience in the development of digital plans is desirable. Previous experience with open data policies and frameworks is desirable. Previous experience with open data policies and frameworks is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA. For this position, Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English is required. Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

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.