About Us
About Human Rights Caribbean
Adherence to Human Rights is not solely a responsibility of governments. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights stipulates that also private sector as well as the citizenry contribute, likewise, the declaration also applies to individual activists, members of trade unions, service clubs, religious groups, NGOs and any other entity or private person. It is our believe that the time is now to found an organization for the advancement of Human Rights.
In recent years, the matter of human rights in Curaçao has particularly pervaded the public debate pertaining to the considerable influx of migrants - including refugees - from neighboring Venezuela. It has been found that the handling of detained undocumented migrants during their detention and subsequent deportation has proven to be far below par. Additionally, Curaçao does not seem to have an asylum procedure. Alarmed and simply outraged citizens have brought to light systemic wrongdoings. Moreover, relatively much attention from international organizations also significantly contributed to exposing human rights abuses experienced by refugees and bringing these issues to the attention of politicians and parliamentarians locally as well as in the Netherlands.
It is imperative that the safeguarding, promoting and monitoring of universal human rights is effectively advocated in one's own society and in any country.
It is in this societal context that the Human Rights Caribbean Foundation (HRC) has emerged as a grassroots Curaçaoan citizens' initiative, consequently inaugurating its foundation on December 10, 2018 - 70 years after the United Nations ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Our Mission
Our mission is to be an independent knowledge centre dedicated to human rights in Curaçao and ultimately also pertaining to Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten and other Caribbean nations. We carry out our mission in close cooperation with local and international partners, and in particular opt for a role of vigilance, advocacy, facilitation and referral. We are guided in this by the international human rights conventions and standards.
Our Goals
Our objective is to commit to respecting the human rights of everyone who resides in Curaçao, Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten and other Caribbean nations and who are vulnerable in relation to universal human rights and freedoms. Special attention goes out to the vulnerable segments of our target population of asylum seekers, refugees, displaced persons, undocumented migrants, migrants and their children.
Human Rights Caribbean aspires to achieve this goal by means of
- Providing direct support to the aforementioned target group through (referring to) legal assistance, protection, health care, shelter or financial allowances
- Defending the rights and liberties of the aforementioned target group, through advocacy and information campaigns as well as promoting registration, development of policies and procedures of and by government
- Collaborating with partners, organizations and society at large by setting up and supporting collaborative networks
- Developing and disseminating knowledge through courses and training
- Conducting and promoting research from an academic level to the aforementioned target group
Even though Human Rights Caribbean focuses on the aforementioned target group, the foundation is also committed to serve any person in our own community appealing to their human rights. Every person is in the position to reach out to the Human Rights Caribbean Foundation for information about legal assistance, protection, health care, shelter and otherwise.