WILLEMSTAD - Human Rights Defense Curaçao (HRDC) continues its efforts to persuade the government to sign the 1951 Refugee Convention. While approximately 150 countries have joined the convention, Curaçao remains an outlier. HRDC also advocates for the integration of international refugee regulations into national laws.
The core principle of the Convention is that a refugee should not be returned to a country where their life or freedom would be in serious danger. However, undocumented individuals and refugees in Curaçao are frequently deported.
Thursday marks World Refugee Day, the international day honoring those forced to flee. Observed annually on June 20, this day highlights the rights, needs, and dreams of refugees.
Curaçao hosts one of the highest numbers of Venezuelan refugees per 1,000 people worldwide, following Aruba, Lebanon, and Montenegro. On the island, the ratio is 1 in 13, which is exceptionally high. Both Curaçao and Aruba have been dealing with an influx of refugees from Venezuela since 2016, due to the country's crisis of hyperinflation and severe food shortages. The exact number of refugees residing in Curaçao is unknown.
"Most refugees arriving in Curaçao lack a valid residency status, which denies them access to basic healthcare," states Stichting Vluchteling (Refugee Foundation). This lack of care often results in life-threatening situations, according to the foundation. Additionally, the island faces economic challenges, making food aid essential for both the local population and the refugees and migrants.
World Refugee Day was established by the United Nations in 2000.