The ‘Whistleblowers in Ukraine: Successes and Challenges‘ conference, an initiative of the anti-corruption analytical center ACREC, has once again gathered together experts from the public sector, business, and civil society organizations to create a public platform for discussing issues facing stakeholders in whistleblower protection.
This year’s event, co-hosted with the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP), drew an crowd of over 80 participants. The diverse audience included representatives from key institutions such as the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the Security Service, and the National Police. Specialized anti-corruption bodies like NABU, ARMA, and the High Anti-Corruption Court were also present in the discussions, alongside both Ukrainian and international NGOs representatives.
Notable attendees included NACP Head Viktor Pavlushchyk, Member of Ukrainian Parliament Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, military serviceman and founder of NGO ‘Principle’ Masi Nayyem, and Oksana Nesterenko, the head of ACREC and a leading expert on whistleblower rights.
The conference ignited passionate discussions about the transformations needed to solidify Ukraine’s position as a beacon of democracy. Central to these debates were the legal definition of a ‘whistleblower,’ the critical need for personal data protection, and robust safeguards against retaliation. These discussions underscored the urgency of bringing these issues to the forefront of public discourse and advocated for comprehensive legislation to effectively shield those who expose corruption.
The event featured three enlightening panel discussions. These sessions delved into the current state of Ukrainian whistleblower legislation, explored ways to adapt international best practices to the Ukrainian context, and addressed the legal ambiguities and conflicts that currently plague the system.
In addition, two engaging roundtables brought together government officials and civil society representatives. These focused on enhancing the Unified Whistleblower Portal and drafting legislation to protect military whistleblowers, addressing a critical gap in the current system.
A key outcome of the conference was the unanimous agreement on the need for a comprehensive law that clearly defines the term ‘whistleblower’ and ensures their anonymity and rights are protected in line with global best practices. To turn this vision into reality, an initiative group was formed from among the conference participants. This dedicated team will draft the proposed legislation and submit it to the NACP for review, with the ultimate goal of presenting it to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
For those unable to attend, a full recording of the conference is available via the link.
