From January 1st 2026 onwards, the National Institute for Human Rights, Caribbean Netherlands will make use of the facilities of the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. Today, Rick Lawson, chair of the Institute, and Mauritsz J. de Kort, president of the Joint Court, signed a contract to formalize this. The Institute will utilize the locations at Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba to judge discrimination cases on these islands.
Image: © Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
Signing of the agreement by Mauritsz J. de Kort (right) and Rick Lawson (right on screen), in the presence of Maya Soumah, quartermaster for Caribbean Netherlands at the Board (left on screen
Equal Treatment Legislation for Caribbean Netherlands
On October 7th 2025, the Senate approved the implementation of the Equal Treatment Legislation for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. This implementation entails that from January 2026, residents on the islands will be able to call on the law if they believe they have been discriminated against. In this context, anti-discrimination facilities will be created on the islands, embedded in a broader facility for legal aid. These facilities will start providing services in the first half of 2026. Additionally, residents will also be able to file an independent discrimination complaint at the Institute. Residents will have the option to request a decision of discrimination by the Institute or opt for the mediation track.
Physical presence Institute on the islands
To exercise its new mandate, the Institute will make use of the facilities of the Joint Court of Justice at Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba for hearings. This ensures that residents will be able to have their case heard in person. The collaboration is an important step towards ensuring equal rights and remedies against discrimination in the Caribbean Netherlands, similar to what is already possible in the European Netherlands.