On 13 March, UNDP Seoul Policy Centre and UNDP Zambia brought together the Anti-Corruption Commission of Zambia (ACC) and the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) of the Republic of Korea for a technical meeting to discuss strengthening whistleblower protection and the digital reporting system in Zambia.

In recent years, Zambia has undertaken governance reforms to enhance transparency and accountability, reflecting its commitment to creating a safer environment for those reporting wrongdoing and to building public trust in institutions. Building on these efforts, USPC, in partnership with ACRC and UNDP Zambia, launched an SDG Partnership project to strengthen whistleblower protection frameworks in Zambia, drawing on the Republic of Korea’s experience. This virtual meeting marked an important first step by providing a platform to share practical insights and lessons learned from ACRC, and to lay the groundwork for stronger collaboration.

The technical meeting began with an overview of ACRC’s whistleblower protection and reward policies. Jiman Seo, Deputy Director for Protection & Reward Policy Division at ACRC, introduced reporting mechanisms and case-handling procedures, highlighting four key forms of protection for whistleblowers: guarantee of confidentiality, guarantee of employment, protection of physical safety, and mitigation of culpability.

During the discussion and Q&A session, Seungwoo Choi, Assistant Director for Inspection Planning Division at ACRC, shared strategic and practical insights from the Republic of Korea’s experience in applying digital technology to whistleblower protection mechanisms. He underscored the importance of institutionalizing a secure reporting channel and outlined key considerations in the development of the Clean Portal, ACRC’s digital reporting system. He further emphasized that effective protection measures ensuring confidentiality, reliability, and user convenience are essential to a robust whistleblower protection system.

The meeting provided an opportunity for in-depth knowledge exchange and reaffirmed the shared commitment to advancing effective governance and integrity systems. Through the SDG Partnership, USPC remains committed to supporting Zambia in strengthening whistleblower protection systems and enhancing public trust.