TY - JOUR

T1 - Whistleblowing for sustainable democracy

AU - Høedt-Rasmussen, Inger

AU - Voorhoof, Dirk

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - The many recent leaks and disclosures by whistleblowers have revealed massive shortcomings, if not illegal activities, by important actors in society. The revelations by Bradley Manning (US Army), Edward Snowdon (NSA) and Antoine Deltour (Lux-leaks), the Swiss, Panama and Paradise papers, and, more recently, hundreds of women revealing sexual abuse (#MeToo) show how society apparently needs persons who are willing and dare to act in the public interest. Without their personal courage these abuses of power and malpractices might still have been undiscovered. Whistleblowers of all kind have helped to alert society to irregularities and practices that are unacceptable for democratic societies and harmful for citizens.Transparency, to which whistleblowers can contribute, is crucial for effective and accountable institutions at all levels and can help to reduce corruption, bribery and unlawful or unethical activities. Democracy and justice, access to information and protection of fundamental freedoms are all integrated in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG), especially in UN SDG 16 on ‘Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions’.1 These broad visionary statements have a double aim. They seek to secure fundamental freedoms and develop human rights in a sustainable framework. Whether it is the one aim or the other, whistleblowers will play an important role in helping to achieve these sustainable development goals.

AB - The many recent leaks and disclosures by whistleblowers have revealed massive shortcomings, if not illegal activities, by important actors in society. The revelations by Bradley Manning (US Army), Edward Snowdon (NSA) and Antoine Deltour (Lux-leaks), the Swiss, Panama and Paradise papers, and, more recently, hundreds of women revealing sexual abuse (#MeToo) show how society apparently needs persons who are willing and dare to act in the public interest. Without their personal courage these abuses of power and malpractices might still have been undiscovered. Whistleblowers of all kind have helped to alert society to irregularities and practices that are unacceptable for democratic societies and harmful for citizens.Transparency, to which whistleblowers can contribute, is crucial for effective and accountable institutions at all levels and can help to reduce corruption, bribery and unlawful or unethical activities. Democracy and justice, access to information and protection of fundamental freedoms are all integrated in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG), especially in UN SDG 16 on ‘Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions’.1 These broad visionary statements have a double aim. They seek to secure fundamental freedoms and develop human rights in a sustainable framework. Whether it is the one aim or the other, whistleblowers will play an important role in helping to achieve these sustainable development goals.

U2 - 10.1177/0924051917753314

DO - 10.1177/0924051917753314

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85057082621

VL - 36

SP - 3

EP - 6

JO - Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights

JF - Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights

SN - 0924-0519

IS - 1

ER -