WILLEMSTAD – Journalists, civil society organizations and religious groups will be among those invited to participate in nine focus groups examining the functioning of democracy in Curaçao as part of a new study by Human Rights Defense Curaçao (HRDC).
The qualitative research forms part of a broader project aimed at examining how different sectors of Curaçao society perceive democracy, public institutions, human rights, equal treatment and the relationship between citizens and government.
While 400 residents will participate in a separate representative survey, HRDC will use the focus groups to explore in greater depth why different groups hold particular views and what they believe should receive greater attention in the future.
Nine focus groups are planned. Residents from different age groups and educational backgrounds will participate, while separate sessions will be organized for representatives of the media, civil society organizations and religious denominations.
By separating some of these groups, HRDC aims to capture perspectives from organizations and institutions that interact with government and society in different ways.
The organization says the research will follow established social science methods. Trained interviewers will collect the survey data, independent note-takers will document the focus-group discussions and an external researcher will conduct the statistical analysis.
HRDC Director Simone de Brabander said the initiative was prompted in part by recurring public discussions about the condition of democracy in Curaçao.
According to De Brabander, elections are only one component of a functioning democracy. The research will therefore also examine confidence in institutions, government transparency and accountability, citizen participation and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms.
The initiative could provide more systematic information about areas where residents believe Curaçao’s democratic system is performing well and where they see weaknesses or room for improvement.
HRDC emphasizes that the project is intended to measure public perceptions. The study itself will therefore not initially determine whether Curaçao is more or less democratic, but will document how residents and key societal groups experience and evaluate the democratic system.
The organization is encouraging people who are invited to participate in a focus group to take part, saying broad participation is important to reflect the diversity of Curaçao society.
The results of both the focus groups and the 400-person survey will be combined in a public report. HRDC plans to present the findings later this year to Curaçao’s Governor, Prime Minister, Parliament, Council of Advice and other institutions.