WILLEMSTAD – Women now decisively shape Curaçao’s demographic profile, a reality that carries far-reaching social and policy implications. According to the 2023 Census, women make up approximately 55 percent of the total population, with the imbalance increasing sharply in older age groups.
Among residents aged 60 and over, there are only 73 men for every 100 women. This reflects a combination of higher male mortality, migration patterns, and differences in life expectancy. The result is a pronounced feminization of aging.
This demographic reality intersects with social vulnerability. Older women are statistically more likely to live alone, depend on fixed incomes, and require long-term healthcare support. Yet Curaçao’s eldercare infrastructure remains limited, and pension adequacy debates rarely incorporate a gender lens.
At the same time, women are central to economic and social resilience. They dominate caregiving roles, form the backbone of several service sectors, and increasingly serve as primary household earners. The Census underscores that demographic policy cannot be gender-neutral if it is to be effective.
Ignoring this imbalance risks designing systems that fail the very population groups they increasingly serve. The data suggest that aging policy, healthcare planning, and housing strategies must explicitly account for the feminization of Curaçao’s demographic future.
