A collection of placards are displayed during an anti-corruption demonstration in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 31, 2025. (Mykhaylo Palinchak/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
About the author: Hanna Novosolova is Chief Specialist at the Department for Coordination of State Information Policy on Corruption Prevention at the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP).
On International Anti-Corruption Day, attention turns to those who expose wrongdoing from within organizations: whistleblowers.
They are often the first to detect and report corruption, yet they may face threats, dismissal, and lasting damage to both their careers and personal lives.
Even amid a full-scale war, Ukraine is working to build a system that not only shields whistleblowers from retaliation but also rewards them fairly.
What has Ukraine already accomplished in this area, and what remains to be done?
International experience shows that effective whistleblowing systems rest on two pillars: strong protection from retaliation and meaningful financial incentives. Without protection, fear silences potential whistleblowers. Without fair compensation, few people are willing to risk their careers and safety.
Research from the Stockholm School of Economics shows that most whistleblowers begin with the same simple impulse: they see wrongdoing and want it fixed.
In the United States, nine out of ten whistleblowers first attempt to report misconduct within their organization before turning to authorities....
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