Jun232026

Institutional declaration of the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency on the occasion of the World Day of the Whistleblower

València, 23 de juny de 2026.- The Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency (AVAF), on the occasion of the World Day of the Corruption Whistleblower,

 

RECALLS that corruption undermines the rule of law and deteriorates the quality of public services, economic freedom and equal opportunities. Its prevention and detection require the joint commitment of all public administrations and society.

 

AFFIRMS the important collective role of whistleblowers in detecting corruption, in reporting situations of abuse of power, and in preventing and combating conduct contrary to public integrity and the general interest.

 

RECOGNISES, therefore, whistleblowers because their courage to report potential breaches, often in the face of significant problems and difficulties, contributes to identifying risks, correcting bad practices and strengthening a culture based on integrity, transparency and good governance. For this reason, the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency created in December 2025 the AVAF Whistleblowing Awards: The courage to report.

 

For this reason, from the AVAF

WE PROMOTE effective advice and protection of whistleblowers in the Valencian Community in accordance with the provisions of Law 11/2016 of the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency. In fact, in the first months of 2026, the Agency has dealt with more than 50 queries and requests for advice on protection and protection has been granted to 3 people, reaching 39 whistleblowers protected by the AVAF since 2017.

 

We ACT in line with European and international standards on integrity and protection of whistleblowers. For this reason, the AVAF participated in May 2026 in the General Assembly of the European Network of Integrity and Whistleblower Protection Authorities (NEIWA), held in Bratislava, where the Bratislava Declaration was approved. This document urges institutions to strengthen protection guarantees by establishing minimum standards of legal and psychological support and strengthening safeguards against any form of reprisals.

 

REAFFIRM our commitment to continue promoting policies to prevent corruption by strengthening control systems, promoting transparency, training in public ethics and developing mechanisms that promote responsibility, accountability and the protection of whistleblowers. These are essential requirements for a strong democratic system and effective and honest governance.

 

Bratislava Declaration

 

Jun32026

Mutxamel and the AVAF reinforce the integrity training of the selection bodies with the participation of personnel from eight municipalities in Alicante

Mutxamel, June 3, 2026.- More than 50 people actively participated in the training session “Ethical framework of technical selection bodies” focused on integrity training for the members of the technical selection bodies organized by the City Council of Mutxamel and given by the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency (AVAF).

 

The conference given by Pilar Moreno, senior training technician of the Agency, brought together not only public employees of the City Council itself, but also professionals from other municipalities in the province of Alicante, including San Vicente del Raspeig, Crevillent, San Fulgencio, Rojales, Torrevieja, El Campello and Alicante. This broad participation highlighted the growing interest of local authorities in strengthening the guarantees of integrity and objectivity in selection processes.

 

The José Bernabéu Alberola Social Center in the town hosted the session in which the legal framework and guiding principles of access to public employment were addressed, as well as the specific duties of the people who participate in the selection panels.

 

During the training, special attention was paid to the duty of abstention, the identification and management of conflicts of interest, as well as the obligations and responsibilities assumed by the members of the selection boards. Likewise, the attendees reflected on the main risks to integrity that may arise in the management of selection processes and on the preventive measures that contribute to guaranteeing transparency, impartiality and equal opportunities.

 

The internal information system and the work of the AVAF as an external channel of information was exposed as a mechanism for detecting reprehensible conduct, administrative infractions and indications of fraud

 

With this initiative, the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency and the City Council of Mutxamel advance in their collaboration in the promotion of institutional integrity.

 

Public administrations interested in having specialized training in integrity and irregularity prevention can contact the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency through the email formacion@antifraucv.es

 

May192026

The Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency presents its balance of activity from a gender perspective

Valencia, 19 May 2026.– The Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency (AVAF) has published the data updated to April 2026 on its activity, highlighting a marked gender difference in the submission of complaints and in the composition of those responsible for the internal information system of the public and private sector in the Valencian Community.

 

Gender gap in reporting and whistleblower protection

Since its creation in 2017, the AVAF has received more than 3,300 complaints, of which 75% are made anonymously. In cases where the whistleblower decides to identify themselves, the 2025 data reveal a notable difference: only 33% of the whistleblowers identified are women, compared to 67% of men.

This disparity is also reproduced in applications for protection. Of the 39 people who currently have the protection status granted by the Agency (out of a total of 91 applications), 72% of the concessions correspond to men, while those granted to women represent 28%.

 

Imbalance in Internal Information Systems

As those in charge of the registration of the Heads of the Internal Information System (RRSII), the AVAF has counted 1,224 managers to date, with a majority presence of men (58%) compared to women (42%).

 

The analysis of the 317 registered collegiate bodies shows that there is no parity in many cases:

  • In 47% of the organs analyzed, men represent more than 60% of the members.
  • In the public sector, 49% of these bodies do not have a parity composition.
  • In the private sector, the imbalance occurs in 46% of the cases.

 

Female predominance in training and internal parity

In contrast to the reporting figures, participation in AVAF training activities shows an inverse trend. With more than 20,000 participants in the last five years, 64% of attendees in 2025 were women. This figure also corresponds to the majority presence of women in Valencian public administrations, where they represent 61% of the staff.

 

Likewise, the AVAF’s career civil servant staff, currently made up of 37 people, has a balanced distribution with 54% women and 46% men.

 

See all the details at the following link:

https://www.antifraucv.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2604-Genero-Castellano.pdf