Corruption can be fought if different agents and institutions around the world work together. This declaration consolidates an alliance to work across borders to promote whistleblowing, and calls on governments, legislative and judicial powers, the media and policymakers to pay urgent attention to the effective protection of whistleblowers around the globe.
Around the world, and especially in developing regions, corruption and environmental crises have proved to be closely related. In one case – the Brumadinho catastrophe in Brazil – deficient regulation of mining activities caused over 200 deaths and impacted on both the Amazonia forest and water reserves. It is clear that the effects of negligence, malpractice and crimes are destroying our natural resources and taking human lives.
Whistleblowers are key in preventing events like Brumadinho. They have been widely recognized as important actors in the defence of democratic values such as transparency and accountability, as well as in the fight against corruption. Over the past 10 years, whistleblowing has repeatedly shaped the agenda as whistleblowers have revealed wrongdoing in public cases that have fostered discussion and involved an increasing number of human rights actors.
