Open Source at UNICC
Open source is a cornerstone of how UNICC delivers digital solutions for the UN system and other international organizations. Aligned with the Global Digital Compact and the UNICC Strategic Framework 2024–2030, we leverage open-source technologies to accelerate innovation, strengthen collaboration, and provide sustainable digital foundations to support our partners and clients’ digital transformation.
Open source also reflects our commitment to openness and accountability. By making source code accessible, we enable greater transparency for partners, users, and stakeholders, while promoting trust in the digital solutions we develop and operate. This approach supports knowledge sharing, reduces duplication of effort, and creates opportunities for collaboration across organizations facing similar challenges.
UNICC is uniquely positioned to identify and promote the reuse of open-source solutions across the UN and multilateral ecosystem. Drawing on our cross-agency experience, we help partners benefit from proven technologies, shared investments, and common digital capabilities. Through open source, innovations and components developed to support UN entities can be scaled, adapted, and reused.
To strengthen this commitment, UNICC established its Open Source Program Office (OSPO) and adopted the UNICC Open Source Policy. Together, they provide the governance, guidance, and support needed to ensure that open source is used responsibly, securely, and strategically across the organization. The OSPO serves as a centre of empowerment for open-source adoption, community engagement, licensing, compliance, contribution management, and ecosystem partnerships, helping teams maximize the benefits of open source while managing legal, operational, and cybersecurity considerations.
UNICC operates
80+
open-source solutions
at scale
Open-source-powered solutions
Reusing digital components
Scaling up for the public good
Greater transparency
What We Do
Open-source-powered solutions
UNICC designs and delivers open-source-powered digital solutions for the UN system and other international organizations. Currently, we manage the lifecycle of open-source platforms and design architectures for UN entities at the local, regional, and global level, including OpenStack, cloud-native storage, landing zones, and shared responsibility models. Our approach delivers cost-efficient, neutral, and high-performance environments and identifies opportunities to reuse existing open-source technologies and components across organizations, reducing duplication and accelerating delivery.
Featured Solutions
UNESCO Open Science Portal
A digital platform that provides open access to UNESCO’s scientific knowledge, making research easier to discover, access, and apply across fields such as biodiversity, climate change, water, and disaster risk reduction. UNICC developed the platform using CERN’s open source Invenio framework and extended it with functionalities tailored to UNESCO’s needs.
UNICEF Bebbo
A parenting application that helps caregivers support their children’s health, development, and well-being through expert guidance, practical tools, and milestone tracking. UNICC is redeveloping the platform, delivering major feature enhancements while maintaining alignment with Digital Public Goods standards.
UNDP iReport
An Early Warning and Early Response platform that enables national authorities to report, verify, and respond to electoral and gender-related risks and incidents through web, mobile, and SMS channels. UNICC developed the solution for the EC-UNDP Joint Task Force on Electoral Assistance and supported its evolution and implementation across multiple global majority countries across diverse continents.
UNDP Indonesia SMILE 5.0
A digital health logistics platform that enables real-time monitoring of medicines, vaccines, and laboratory supplies across Indonesia’s health system. As a technical implementation partner, UNICC contributes to the development and strengthening of the platform alongside UNDP Indonesia and the Ministry of Health of Indonesia.
UNDP Malawi EHIN (Electronic Health Information Network)
A digital health platform that enables real-time tracking of medicines, vaccines, and medical supplies across Malawi’s health system. Working alongside UNDP Malawi and the Ministry of Health, UNICC deployed and adapted Indonesia’s open-source SMILE building block to support Malawi’s operational requirements.
Scale innovation with open-source components
Beyond delivering solutions for individual partners and clients, UNICC also develops and operates shared digital products and platforms built on open-source technologies that can be reused, adapted, and scaled across multiple organizations. By investing in common digital capabilities, UNICC helps reduce duplication and create shared value for the UN family and beyond.
Featured Solutions
UN Partner Portal (UNPP): a shared platform that enables Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to engage with UN entities through a harmonized and efficient partnership process. Built on a robust open-source technology stack—including Python, Django, React, PostgreSQL, and Kubernetes—the platform delivers a scalable, secure, and interoperable solution that streamlines collaboration between the UN and its partners worldwide.
UN Digital ID: a transformative solution that provides the UN system workforce with a universal, trusted, and user-friendly system-wide digital identity. The platform leverages leading open-source initiatives to enable secure, interoperable, and future-ready digital identity services across organizations.
UNIQCloud: a private cloud solution designed specifically for the UN family and international organizations, offering secure, flexible cloud capabilities. Built on OpenStack and other open-source technologies, the platform strengthens data protection, supports business continuity, enhances cost predictability, and promotes vendor independence.
Foster open source collaboration
UNICC promotes collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the reuse of digital solutions across the UN ecosystem and beyond. Through shared repositories, technical leadership, and strategic partnerships, UNICC actively contributes to global open-source initiatives. Where appropriate, UNICC-developed solutions are made available as Digital Public Goods, enabling governments, international organizations, and communities worldwide to adapt, reuse, and build upon innovations created for the public good.
Key Initiatives
- Member of the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA).
- UNICC is part of the DPI Safeguards initiative’s International Organizations Consultative Group, which offer support mainstreaming and adoption of the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework.
- Co-Chair of the Open Source United Community of Practice (CoP) and Technical Track Lead supporting collaboration across the UN system.
- Developer and host of the Open Source United open source code management portal, a collaborative platform for open source code/projects activity across the UN system.
- Observer in the ITU Global Consultative Committee on Wallet Interoperability, contributing to discussions on open standards and digital identity ecosystems.
- Co-organizer of the Global Digital Collaboration Conference, advancing dialogue on digital wallets, interoperability, open standards, and open-source technologies.
- Selected Mentor and Presenter for Women in GovTech Challenge run by ITU/UNDP/GIZ/BMZ/Estonia/ODET/World Bank/UNDP (GovStack Women in GovTech Challenge III – 2O26 – GovStack
- Host of the current ITU/GovStack Sandbox and a partner in developing next-generation sandbox capabilities based on open-source infrastructure.
Latest News
For more information, please contact the UNICC Open Source Program Office (OSPO): [email protected]
