Joint Inspection Unit

The JIU is the only independent external oversight body of the United Nations system mandated to conduct reviews, evaluations, and inspections at a system-wide level.

Its mandate is to look at cross-cutting issues and to act as an agent for change across the UN system. The JIU works to enhance efficiency in management and administration and to promote greater coordination among agencies. It is dedicated to assisting the 28 organisations that have signed the JIU Statute in meeting their governance responsibilities. In its reports and notes, the JIU identifies best practices, facilitates knowledge-sharing, and makes recommendations to executive heads and governing bodies, individually or as a group.

Over the years, the JIU has contributed to several areas of work with the objective of enhancing management and administrative efficiency and of promoting greater coordination among the UN organisations. Some of the JIU’s key focus points have included executive management and other administrative matters, human resources, strategic planning and oversight, results-based management, and risk management, among others. The JIU recommendations have also supported senior management teams among UN organisations in developing or reviewing strategies and policies. Since 1995, its thematic agenda has also included information and communications technology (ITC) governance. In recent years, the JIU has approached digital technology from a more strategic perspective.

Digital activities

Over the years, the JIU has contributed to several areas of work aimed at enhancing management and administrative efficiency and promoting greater coordination among UN organisations. Relevant to the topic of information and communications technology governance and digital policy, the JIU has issued the following reports in recent years:

1. Cybersecurity in the United Nations System Organisations (2021)
2. Blockchain Applications in the UN System: Towards a State of Readiness (2020)
3. Policies and Platforms in Support of Learning: Towards more Coherence, Coordination and Convergence (2020)
4. Managing Cloud Computing Services in the UN System (2019)
5. Knowledge Management in the United Nations System (2016)

In today’s rapidly evolving digital age, the JIU reaffirms its commitment to leveraging digital transformation to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of its mandate. By adopting efficient digital platforms, the JIU has enhanced the accessibility and transparency of its reports, recommendations, and findings for member states and other stakeholders. Digitalisation has also enabled greater agility in conducting inspections and evaluations, allowing for virtual consultations and remote data collection in a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable manner.

To further advance digital work, the JIU is committed to strengthening its internal digital capacity, fostering a culture of innovation, and prioritising knowledge sharing across the UN system. These efforts include promoting the use of data analytics and AI in its reviews to generate deeper insights and evidence-based recommendations. For that matter, the JIU has included the review of data governance in UN system organisations in its 2025 programme of work. 

The JIU continues to work collaboratively with other entities in the UN system to harness the transformative potential of digital technology in achieving the UN objectives. The JIU invites all stakeholders to engage with its digital initiatives and contribute to a shared vision of a more modern, connected, and digitally empowered UN system. Together, we can navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities of the digital era to build a more effective and inclusive multilateral system.

Digital policy issues