Fundashon Nos Grandinan calls for the application of Article 23 of the European Social Charter to strengthen the rights of older persons in Curaçao
WILLEMSTAD - On January 5th, Fundashon Nos Grandinan (FNG) formally submitted a request to the Government of Curaçao to have Article 23 of the European Social Charter declared applicable to Curaçao. Through this request, FNG advocates for the structural recognition and protection of the rights and dignity of older persons as human rights, ensuring that protection is no longer dependent solely on policy choices or temporary measures.
Article 23 of the European Social Charter explicitly recognizes the right of older persons to social protection, dignified living conditions and social participation. Although the Kingdom of the Netherlands is a party to the Charter, it does not automatically apply to Curaçao. Extension of its applicability requires an explicit request by the Land Curaçao. According to FNG, in light of demographic ageing and the vulnerable position of many older persons, such a request is both necessary and logical.
"The position of older persons is not merely a matter of policy, but of fundamental rights," said Geselle Rosaria – Coffi, Chairperson of Fundashon Nos Grandinan. "Applying Article 23 of the European Social Charter to Curaçao affirms that ageing with dignity is not a privilege, but a right. This applies not only to the current generation of older persons, but also to future generations."
FNG emphasizes that many older persons in Curaçao are fully dependent on the General Old Age Pension (AOV) and do not have access to supplementary pension schemes. This group is particularly vulnerable to loss of purchasing power and social exclusion. International human rights standards provide an essential complementary framework to strengthen the legal position and protection of older persons and to combat ageism as a form of discrimination.
This request forms part of a phased and structured approach adopted by FNG, aimed at sustainably strengthening the legal position, legal protection and overall protection of older persons. The approach begins at the highest normative level and subsequently moves step by step toward concrete and structural improvements within the social security system, with particular attention to the AOV system, and with the objective of reinforcing social security, income security and legal certainty. Where necessary, further formal steps will be taken to achieve structural and legally anchored solutions.
Through this initiative, Fundashon Nos Grandinan seeks to shift the public and political debate from incidental or temporary solutions toward a durable, rights-based and legally embedded framework of protection. The organization underscores that the rights of older persons are an integral part of broader human rights obligations and that Curaçao, as a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, bears a clear responsibility in this regard.