Four MDB’s Fail to Protect Whistleblowers, Group Finds

21 July 2004


The protection of whistleblowers at four major multilateral development banks is deficient, according to a report by The Government Accounting Project.

Using a 24-point checklist, the Washington-based nongovernmental organization said none of the four institutions merited a passing grade. Out of a total of 100 possible points, the World Bank rated 60, the Asian Development 55, the Inter-American Development Bank 49, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development 45.

The report, “Culture of Secrecy,” can be downloaded here.

Calling the results “a baseline,” GAP’s legal director Tom Devine said in a press release, “Our study demonstrates that none of the banks have reliably safe channel for whistleblowers to make a difference against corruption.” He noted that GAP feels it cannot responsibly recommend that whistleblowers work with the banks’ policies.

The good news, GAP reported, is that the banks are increasingly interested in upgrading their protections for employees and others who bring forward evidence of wrongdoing.

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Filed under: IFTI Watch

ABOUT IFTI WATCH

In this column, Washington, D.C.-based journalist Toby J. McIntosh reports on the latest developments in information disclosure in International Financial and Trade Institutions (IFTI).
Contact: freeinfo@gwu.edu or
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