Déjà vu for whistleblower Anders Kompass

Anders Kompass received a lot of attention when he, as a high-ranking official within the UN, fought with his own organization to come to terms with systematic sexual abuse in the Central African Republic.

Kompass left the UN in 2016 and made clear what he thought would need to happen to address the problems. In an article, he describes a feeling of déjà vu when a recent report shows that similar problems still persist.

The case is somewhat typical in that the problem is mainly about the willingness to remedy the irregularities. Known problems are often swept under the rug if they become uncomfortable for senior management. As Kompass sees it, the solution is to build robust structures, with sufficient resources, strict independence and a clear mandate.

Just as with the establishment of whistleblower systems, the reporting channel is only a small part of a larger puzzle, where the goal is mainly about building healthy organizational cultures.