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36 Neth. Q. Hum. Rts. 3 (2018)

handle is hein.journals/nethqur51 and id is 1 raw text is: Column NQHR Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights 2018, Vol. 36(l) 3-6 W histleblow ing for K TheAuthor s o,8 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.ukl/journalsPermissions.nav sustainable, democracy ae~ .. d ...,~ris ... DOI: 10.1177/0924051917753314 journals.sagepub.com/home/nqh OSAGE Inger Hoedt-Rasmussen Legal Human Academy; Department of Food and Resource Economics (IFRO), University of Copenhagen, Denmark Dirk Voorhoof Legal Human Academy; Human Rights Centre, Ghent University, Belgium The many recent leaks and disclosures by whistleblowers have revealed massive shortcomings, if not illegal activities, by important actors in society. The revelations by Bradley Manning (US Army), Edward Snowdon (NSA) and Antoine Deltour (Lux-leaks), the Swiss, Panama and Para- dise papers, and, more recently, hundreds of women revealing sexual abuse (#MeToo) show how society apparently needs persons who are willing and dare to act in the public interest. Without their personal courage these abuses of power and malpractices might still have been undiscovered. Whistleblowers of all kind have helped to alert society to irregularities and practices that are unacceptable for democratic societies and harmful for citizens. Transparency, to which whistleblowers can contribute, is crucial for effective and accountable institutions at all levels and can help to reduce corruption, bribery and unlawful or unethical activities. Democracy and justice, access to information and protection of fundamental freedoms are all integrated in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG), especially in UN SDG 16 on 'Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions'.1 These broad visionary statements have a double aim. They seek to secure fundamental freedoms and develop human rights in a sustainable framework. Whether it is the one aim or the other, whistleblowers will play an important role in helping to achieve these sustainable development goals. Whistleblowing - internal and external The analysis of the role of whistleblowers starts inevitably by defining the persons and actions concerned. Definitions have been developed by international organisations either as binding legal 1. UNGA Resolution on Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (adopted 21 October 2015) UN-Doe AIRES/70/1. Corresponding author: Inger Hoedt-Rasmussen, Legal Human Academy; Department of Food and Resource Economics (IFRO), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-l 65, Denmark. E-mail: Legal-human@mail.dk