The National Digital Accessibility Policy

There is a vast amount of information and services available on the internet, but the inability to access many of them still poses a barrier for people with disabilities and elderly. The concept of digital accessibility is summarized by ensuring that all electronic information, services, and applications are accessible and easily usable by all individuals, including those with disabilities and the elderly. Click here to download a copy of the National Digital Accessibility Policy

Personal Data Protection Policy

In view of the 2040 Vision, the Sultanate of Oman is pursuing a new era that enhances the performance of government entities, increases their level of transparency and responsibility, and promotes economic diversification and the utilization of data-driven services. Therefore, when handling personal data, the government entities should act as custodians of such data, manage it and ensure its security in line with relevant laws and policies. They shall also develop rules for its secure exchange within them and among each other. Click here to download a copy of the Personal Data Protection Policy

Executive Regulation of the Personal Data Protection Law

The Executive Regulations of the Personal Data Protection Law were issued pursuant to Ministerial Resolution No. 34/2024, which detailed several provisions of the Data Protection Law, most notably: the procedures for obtaining a personal data processing permit stipulated in Article (5) of the Law, the controls for processing children's personal data, the controls and procedures for exercising the rights of the personal data subject, and the obligations of the controller and processor. Click here to download a copy of the Executive Regulation of the Personal Data Protection Law

National Data Governance and Management Compliance Assessment Model

A document that defines the methodology for assessing compliance levels, implementation priorities, and evaluation criteria, aimed at enabling government entities to adhere to the national data governance and management policies. Download: National Data Governance and Management Compliance Assessment Model

Data Governance and Management Office Establishment Guidelines

A document that includes the necessary elements to support government entities in establishing an administrative division specialized in data governance and management. These elements encompass tasks, competencies, services, processes, organizational structure, roles, and responsibilities. Download: Data Governance and Management Office Establishment Guidelines

National Data Governance and Management Policies

A document outlining the necessary requirements for national data governance and management, aimed at establishing unified and comprehensive practices within government entities across 13 areas of data governance and management. These requirements are mandatory for administrative units to comply with and implement. Download: National Data Governance and Management Policies

Open Data Usage Policy

This license shall be subject to the relevant applicable laws and legislation in the Sultanate of Oman. Click here to download a copy of the Open Data Usage Policy

Open Data Principles

The Ministry works to make data available in accordance with the open government data policy issued in January 2025. 1. Complete: Datasets released by the government should be as complete as possible, reflecting the entirety of what is recorded about a particular subject. All raw information from a dataset should be released to the public, except to the extent necessary to comply with valid privacy or security requirements regarding the release of personally identifiable information. Metadata that defines and explains the raw data should be included as well, along with formulas and explanations for how derived data was calculated. Doing so will permit users to understand the scope of information available and examine each data item at the maximum level of detail. 2. Primary: Datasets released by the government should be primary source data, not in aggregate or modified forms. 3. Timely: Datasets released by the government entities are required to be available to the public and updated periodically depending on the nature of the Data (at least on annual basis). Whenever feasible, information collected by the government should be released as quickly as it is gathered and collected. Priority should be given to data whose utility is time sensitive. Real-time information updates would maximize the utility the public can obtain from this information. 4. Permanent: Datasets are available permanently (information made available shall remain available) with appropriate version tracking and archiving over time. There shall be proper indication that an alteration has been made. (Refer to data retention as per archive law - Royal Decree 60/2007). 5. Accessible: Datasets released by the government shall be feasible and accessible (ability to locate and download content) easily. Providing an interface for users to download all of the information stored in a database at once (known as “bulk” download) and the means to make specific calls for data through an Application Programming Interface (API) make data much more readily accessible. 6. Machine read-able: Datasets shall be reasonably structured to allow automated processing and available in machine friendly formats. Information shared in the widely used PDF format, for example, is very difficult for machines to parse. Thus, information should be stored in widely used file formats (CSV,XLS, JSON, XML, etc.) that easily lend themselves to machine processing. These files should be accompanied by documentation related to the format and how to use it in relation to the data. 7. Trusted: Published content should be digitally signed (for example: using hashtags) or include attestation of publication/creation date, authenticity, and integrity. Digital signatures help the public validate the source of the data they find so that they can trust that the data has not been modified since it was published. 8. Documented: Documentation about the datasets, format and meaning of data goes a long way to making the data useful. The principles state that Government websites must provide users with sufficient information to make assessments about the meaning, accuracy and currency of information published. 9. Non-discriminatory: Datasets are available to anyone, at any time without having to identify themselves (with no requirement of registration) or provide any justification for accessing open datasets. 10. Non-proprietary: Datasets are available in a format over which no Unit has exclusive control (data can be accessed without the need for a software license). 11. License-free: Datasets are available with no restrictions on dissemination and are not subject to any copyright, patent, trademark or trade secret regulation. Maximal openness includes clearly labeling public information as a work of the government and available without restrictions on use as part of the public domain. Government entities use Open Data licenses to clearly explain the conditions under which their data may be used. Examples include Creative Commons, the Open Database License, and The World Bank Terms of Use.