LocationsAs part of the European Union-funded Preventing and Countering Corruption in Papua New Guinea Project (PNG Anti-Corruption Project), UNDP and the Department of Justice and Attorney General (DJAG) facilitated two trainings on whistleblower protection this month.
UNDP and the Government of Papua New Guinea strengthen efforts to protect whistleblowers
September 18, 2023
UNDP Consultant, Ashley Savage, training the participants
Seru Kepa | UNDP Papua New Guinea
The first training, which was an advanced training on whistleblower protection for the public sector, took place on 4-6 September 2023 and was a continuation of a basic training that UNDP and Department of Justice and Attorney General had organized in October 2022.
The second training, a training of the trainers on whistleblower protection, was held on 7-8 September 2023 and prepared participants to facilitate trainings on whistleblower protection by themselves in their respective departments and agencies. Mainly auditors and compliance officers from public sector departments and agencies, including from the provincial level, attended the training.
The trainings were a part of UNDP’s ongoing efforts to build the capacity of public officials to implement the Whistleblower Act 2020, which the Government of Papua New Guinea adopted in 2020 to help protect the rights and safety of persons reporting corruption and other misuses of power within public institutions.
UNDP Chief Technical Advisor, Dr. Alma Sedlar, during her remarks.
Seru Kepa | UNDP Papua New Guinea
Through interactive sessions hosted by UNDP experts, the trainings equipped the participants with the necessary knowledge and skills for implementing the legislative provisions of the act. In addition, the participants received guidance on establishing and maintaining a secure whistleblowing management system in public institutions, processing reports, and dealing with retaliation complaints.
“Whistleblowing is essential not only for detecting fraud, corruption and misconduct, but also for promoting a culture of accountability and integrity that protects the interests of the public. We look forward to continuing our joint efforts with the Government of Papua New Guinea to create an enabling environment, where whistleblowers feel safe to report corruption and other forms of wrongdoing without fear of retaliation,” UNDP Chief Technical Advisor, Dr. Alma Sedlar, stated at the end of the trainings.
Josephine Advent Pitmur, Deputy Secretary at the Department of Justice and Attorney General, highlighted the importance of protecting whistleblowers.
Seru Kepa | UNDP Papua New Guinea
“Corruption continues to hinder the efforts of Papua New Guinea to achieve its development goals. We are grateful to UNDP for its commitment to building integrity across all Government agencies, not just at the national level, but also at provincial and district levels,” added the Deputy Secretary of DJAG, Josephine Pitmur in her closing remarks.
The workshops were organized by UNDP under the PNG Anti-Corruption Project, which is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP and UNODC. Both trainings were a continuation of basic whistleblower protection training, which UNDP and Department of Justice and Attorney General had delivered in October 2022.
