the Development of National Safe Internet Guidebook (Jordan)

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. Note that 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 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. Their contents cannot and must not be presented, discussed or published without the express authorization 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, 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 MoDEE permission. The content of the generated document shall be the sole property of ESCWA.

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

16 weeks

Duties and Responsibilities

I. GENERAL SCOPE Safe internet use has become a global public policy priority as digital connectivity expands across all aspects of economic and social life, while exposure to cyber risks, misinformation and online harm continues to rise. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) tracks countries’ commitment to cybersecurity through the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), which assesses legal, technical, organizational, capacity building and cooperation measures, highlighting wide gaps between and within regions. At the same time, the World Economic Forum (WEF) reports that nearly 70% of surveyed users globally experienced online risks such as cyberbullying, fraud or misinformation in a single year, underlining the societal costs of unsafe digital environments . In the Arab region, ESCWA notes that rapid growth in internet penetration and e government has not always been matched by cybersecurity awareness, child online protection frameworks, and robust digital trust mechanisms, making safe internet use a critical enabler of inclusive digital transformation . At the global level, the UN advances safe, inclusive and rights based internet use through processes such as the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the UN Global Digital Compact, which emphasize digital trust, cybersecurity and protection of users online. Specialized agencies, notably the ITU, support Member States through global benchmarks (such as the GCI), technical assistance, and capacity building on cybersecurity and child online protection. Within the Arab region, ESCWA plays a central role by developing regional strategies like the Arab Digital Agenda 2023–2033 and convening policy dialogues to strengthen digital trust and safe internet frameworks. ESCWA, often jointly with ITU, also implements concrete initiatives—such as regional workshops, the Accessible Arab Region: ICT for All series , and advisory work on national strategies—to help countries mainstream online safety, digital inclusion and user protection into their digital policies. A comprehensive safe internet guidebook in Jordan would directly support national socio economic development by enhancing trust in digital services, accelerating e commerce, and protecting vulnerable groups such as children and youth. International evidence shows that stronger cybersecurity and online safety frameworks are associated with more resilient digital economies and higher adoption of online public and private services. For Jordan, where digital transformation is a pillar of the Economic Modernization Vision, a safe internet environment would encourage investment, innovation and job creation in ICT enabled sectors, while reducing the economic losses associated with cybercrime. It would also reinforce social outcomes—such as safer online learning, wider participation of women and youth in the digital economy, and improved quality of life—contributing to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to education, decent work and institutions. Recently, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship (MoDEE) in Jordan requested UN-ESCWA’s assistance in developing the national safe internet guidebook, while aligning it with Jordan’s national AI Strategy 2023–2027 and the country’s Digital Transformation Strategy 2026–2028. The provision of this advisory service is the subject of these terms of reference. III. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The consultant shall propose to the designated ESCWA focal point a detailed version of the national safe internet guidebook. To produce the draft doc, the consultant is requested to conduct, among others, the main following tasks: 1. Review the national digital documents and the existing policies in Jordan related to digital transformation, innovation, digital technologies, and other related national plans; 2. Review best regional and international best practices related to safe internet guidebooks and road maps (at least 2 selected regional and 2 international cases); 3. Identify main national stakeholders, hold, in coordination with MoDEE team, interviews and meetings with the main national stakeholders and realising 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 guidebook based on international/regional best practices, gap analysis, and national needs (SWOT analysis). In addition, the consultant would also ensure the following activities: (1) Contribute to national workshop (physically or remotely) and capture the main comments and discussions. (2) Update the draft proposal according to all received feedback and comments during the reviewing process by ESCWA and MoDEE teams. 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

An advanced university 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. Standardized At least 5 years of experience and research in the domain of digital technologies is required. Previous experience in management and planning is required. Previous experience in the delivery of research papers is desirable. Previous experience in the development of cybersecurity plans 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 Arabic and English are 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.