Learning how to become a whistleblower using an online course developed with UNDP support

The platform is dedicated to employees both from public and private sectors. The users will learn how to disclose illegal practices and the peculiarities of whistleblowing in private and public sectors, what illegalities may be disclosed, as well as the protection guarantees for those warning about corruption and irregularities in the institutions in which they work.

At the same time, the course offers guidance to employers from public and private institutions, informing about the duties and competences of institutions involved in the enforcement of whistleblowing mechanism. As the full www.ombudsman.md portal, the respective module is accessible for persons with visual impairments.

The People’s Advocate Office is the institution offering protection to whistleblowers and having the possibility to act ex-officio when disclosures about illegal practices are publically made. Hence, the Ombudsperson’s Office may request employers to stop intimidations and retaliations against a whistleblower and, if needed, may represent the whistleblower’s interests in the court, and come up with conclusions or opinions regarding pending cases.

Whistleblowers may request protection from the Ombudsman’s Office via email: ombudsman@ombudsman.md, by filling in an online application on the official website of the People’s Advocate Office or by calling at: +37360002657.

At the same time, an effective and prompt investigation of internal whistleblowing is the employers’ competence, while external whistleblowing is registered and examined by the National Anticorruption Center. Disclosures which are not under the NAC competence shall be referred to other authorities, according to their mandates.

The online course “Whistleblowers” refers to a wider campaign of the whistleblowing mechanism, conducted during this year by UNDP and People’s Advocate Office.

In May-June 2020, UNDP Moldova, in cooperation with People’s Advocate Office and National Anticorruption Center rolled out an information campaign to support whistleblowers among doctors, launching a a video spot and a number of informative materials regarding this topic. At the same time, with UNDP support, a new module was launched on www.ombudsman.md portal, through which whistleblowers may submit an online application for getting protection from the People’s Advocate Office.

This campaign is conducted in the framework of the “Curbing corruption by building sustainable integrity in the Republic of Moldova” project, implemented by UNDP Moldova with the support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.