Holding power to account can be a dangerous act. Courageous individuals who expose the harmful actions of governments, public organisations and companies often face risks – including harassment, blacklisting, smear campaigns, and in some cases even physical violence, persecution or arrest. However, they keep working to enhance transparency and accountability to ensure public funds go where they should.
The individual right to freedom of expression includes the right to report wrongdoing – both in government and in private companies. People who speak up should be protected, not punished.
This is why, over the past decade, we have advocated for the adoption and implementation of strong whistleblower protection frameworks, alongside the development of resources to help organisations implement effective internal whistleblowing systems.
Legal protection is the cornerstone of effective whistleblowing. When people have safe and effective ways to raise the alarm and report wrongdoing, we all benefit. In many countries, however, there are no comprehensive whistleblower protection laws, with laws only protecting employees in certain sectors or not shielding whistleblowers against civil and criminal liability. In other instances, reporting mechanisms remain unclear, inaccessible or unsafe. Retaliation remains common, while accountability for perpetrators is rare.
Over the last ten years, we have contributed to the development of international standards and the...
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an independent body that reviews scientific evidence to recommend which groups should receive vaccines and when, rarely makes headlines. Bu...