Whistleblower Protections at the United Nations (2021)

A research paper on whistleblower policies and protection against retaliation at the United Nations and recommendations for reform by Transparency International and Government Accountability Project. 

The background paper, produced by Transparency International, found that fear of retaliation was one of the greatest deterrents for staff at the UN when it comes to reporting misconduct. The research also points towards fragmented and unclear whistleblower policies, a “top down” culture and the jurisdiction that the UN works under, resulting in a lack of access to independent arbitration, as other issues facing potential whistleblowers.

Recommendations for improvement include strengthening key provisions of the internal whistleblower protection policies and improving the workings of the oversight offices.