There is a growing worldwide recognition that whistleblower disclosures are an essential part of the fight against corruption and whistleblower protections are neccessary for an open and democratic society. In response, the National Whistleblowers Center has initiated programs to help international whistleblowers in their efforts to improve human rights, civil liberties, and global integrity.
Please click on the world map below for information on whistblower laws, organizations, and news for a particular country. Help us keep the international pages up-to-date and accurate. If you have information that should be added to the page for any country please contact us.
International Conventions
Whistleblower protection is now recognized as part of international law. In 2003, the United Nations adopted the Convention Against Corruption. This convention was subsequently signed by 140 nations and formally ratified, accepted, approved, or acceded by 137 nations, including the United States. Article 32 and Article 32 of the UN Convention endorse protection for whistleblowers.
In 1999, the Council of Europe ratified its Civil Law Convention On Corruption. This Convention is binding legal authority on most European governments. A list of countries that have approved the convention is linked here. Article 9 of this Convention explicitly requires, as part of their internal domestic law, that European governments provide "appropriate protection" for employee whistleblowers. The Convention Explanatory Report call upon states to "protect' and "encourage" whistleblowing.
Click here for additional International Conventions that provide for the protection of whistleblowers.
NWC International Program
The National Whistleblower Center works regularly with journalists, free speech advocates, lawyers, and government officials from around the world, educating them about the value of whistleblower protections in a free society. Our staff members have conducted trainings, both at home and abroad with interested delegations from countries including Japan, India, Moldova, Israel, England, Hungary, Montenegro, Croatia, China, Czech Republic, Kyrgyzstan, and the Philippines.
For example, in 2008 the NWC Executive Director was invited by the United States Embassy in Hungary to meet with government leaders, including the Minister of Justice, and non-governmental organizations in order to fully explain the integral role whistleblowers play in anti-corruption programs. For more information on the NWC's actions in Hungary please click here . In September 2009, the Executive Director made a similar visit to Montenegro. Representatives of the NWC have also spoken at international anti-corrruption/whistleblower protection conferences and workshops in Tel Aviv, Israel; Prague, Czech Republic; and Seoul, South Korea. For information on the NWC's international training program, please contact us.
Model Whistleblower Law
To assist other countries in drafting whistleblowers legislation the NWC has created a model whistleblower law. Please click here to view the revised model law.
Political Asylum
In 2000 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that whistleblowers that face persecution in their home countries might be entitled to political asylum in the United States. Numerous other U.S. courts have now adopted the holding. Please click here for more information.