WILLEMSTAD – Human Rights Defense Curaçao (HRDC) is launching a representative study to determine how residents perceive the state of democracy on the island, including their level of trust in public institutions and their views on government transparency, citizen participation, human rights and equal treatment.
The study will combine quantitative and qualitative research methods and is intended to provide a broader picture of how Curaçao’s population experiences democracy beyond participation in elections.
The quantitative portion consists of face-to-face interviews with 400 Curaçao residents. According to HRDC, this sample size is sufficient for a 95 percent confidence level.
Interviewers will conduct the survey in different neighborhoods across the Willemstad area, Banda Riba and Banda Bou. HRDC says the sample will seek balanced representation based on age, gender, education and geographic area.
The collected information will subsequently undergo statistical analysis by an external researcher.
HRDC Director Simone de Brabander said discussions about the quality of democracy frequently take place on social media, but that these discussions do not provide a representative picture of what the broader population thinks.
“With this study, we want to give a representative number of residents the opportunity to tell us how they experience democracy in Curaçao,” De Brabander said.
According to her, democracy should not be measured solely by whether citizens can cast a ballot during elections. Trust in institutions, transparency in government, opportunities for citizens to participate, government accountability and the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms are also important indicators.
HRDC therefore wants to establish how residents evaluate the relationship between citizens and government and whether they believe democratic institutions are functioning effectively and fairly.
The organization is asking residents who are approached for individual interviews to participate. HRDC says broad participation from different parts of Curaçao society is essential to obtaining a reliable picture.
The findings will be published in a public report later this year and are expected to be presented to institutions including the Governor of Curaçao, the Prime Minister, Curaçao Parliament and the Council of Advice.