13/10/20

Webinar recording of ‘Human rights in the Dutch Caribbean: ten years after 10-10-10’

On October 8, the Dutch section of the International Commission of Jurists (NJCM) and the University of St. Martin hosted a webinar to analyze the human rights situation in the Dutch Caribbean, a decade after the constitutional reform which dissolved the Netherlands Antilles. The recording of this webinar is now accessible here by using the following passcode: UU1bc$K9.

Ten years ago, on October 10, 2010, the constitutional reform went into effect, rearranging the relationships within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and dissolving the Netherlands Antilles. As a result, Aruba, Curaçao and St. Martin became countries with an autonomous constitutional status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba became public entities or so-called special municipalities considered to be part of the Netherlands.

The webinar reflected upon the past decade, discussed the consequences experienced in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom by the constitutional reform and looked into the relevant human rights and obligations. Moreover, it did not only explore the (international) legal framework but also the political aspects of the new relationships. The webinar examined the subject by using perspectives from different academic fields.

The speakers included various academics, as well as experts from non-governmental organizations and the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights:
– Lisenne Delgado, Utrecht University
– Flora Goudappel, University of Curaçao
– Raymond Jesserun, human rights activist in St. Martin
– Jonneke Naber, the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights
– Ryçond Santos do Nascimento, University of Curaçao
– Louis Philippe Römer, Vassar College

The webinar took place on the online platform Zoom.

Program

The webinar was moderated by Dr. Daphina Misiedjan, Assistant Professor at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam and NJCM Board Member.

09.00 – 12.30 AST (Aruba, Curacao, St. Martin, Bonaire, St. Eustatius, Saba)
15.00 – 18.30 CEST (European Netherlands)

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

  • 15:00-15:05 | Introduction
  • 15:05-15:25 | Prof. dr. Flora Goudappel – differentiated applicability of international human rights conventions
  • 15:25-15:35 | Questions

CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

  • 15:35-15:55 | Dr. Ryçond Santos do Nascimento – Human Rights and the Charter of the Kingdom
  • 15:55-16:05 | Questions
  • 16:05-16:25 | Lisenne Delgado LLM – Judicial Human Rights protection: the Caribbean on the losing end?
  • 16:25-16:35 | Questions

BREAK (25 minutes)

NATIONAL DISCUSSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

  • 17:00-17:15 | Drs. Raymond Jesserun – Chamber of Labor Unions addressing the human rights deficit
  • 17:15-17:25 | Questions
  • 17:25-17:40 | Dr. Louis Philippe Römer – Notions of human dignity
  • 17:40-17:50 | Questions

NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS

  • 17:50-18:05 | Jonneke Naber LLM – Reflections from the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights
  • 18:05-18:15 | Questions

DISCUSSION

  • 18:15-18:30 | Short discussion with public