WILLEMSTAD – Nearly five years after Curaçao enacted legislation establishing the position of Children's Ombudsman, the island has yet to appoint one because the government has still not finalized the employment conditions required to begin the recruitment process.
According to the Ombudsman's 2025 Annual Report, the appointment remains stalled because the government has not approved the secondary employment benefits attached to the position, including pension arrangements and other employment conditions.
The National Ordinance establishing the Children's Ombudsman was approved by the Curaçao Parliament on November 19, 2020, and entered into force the following day, coinciding with Universal Children's Day. The legislation formally assigned the Ombudsman's Office responsibility for safeguarding and promoting children's rights in Curaçao.
The law also created the possibility of appointing a Children's Ombudsman as a deputy within the institution. In March 2022, Parliament approved the official job profile to be used in selecting candidates.
However, despite that step, no recruitment process has taken place.
The Ombudsman's Office is responsible for selecting candidates but says it cannot begin recruitment until prospective applicants receive clarity on their employment package.
The issue is not new. Ombudsman Keursly Concincion raised the same concern in the institution's 2024 Annual Report, expressing hope that the office would be strengthened in 2025 with a full-time Children's Ombudsman dedicated exclusively to children's rights.
The latest report confirms that this did not happen.
The report also notes that the Ombudsman's own employment conditions have still not been fully finalized, with pension arrangements specifically identified as remaining unresolved.
The prolonged delay means the recruitment process continues to be blocked at the executive government level.