KRALENDIJK – Optimally protecting the privacy of residents of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba who report discrimination. That is the core of a regulation of the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations that will go  into consultation. This means that everyone who wants to contribute can give his or her opinion. This is possible up to the 15^th  of October, 2025 in Dutch, English and Papiamentu on this site www.internetconsultatie.nl/persoonsgegevensbes.

With this regulation, Caribbean Netherlands residents get clarity on the personal data that may be processed, to whom this data may be given and how long this can be stored.

Minister Uitermark (Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations): “Equal treatment is a constitutional right and it is very important that the equal rights laws also become applicable to Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. In that regard, we need to ensure that the privacy of people who report discrimination gets protected optimally. So that everyone can feel safe to file such a report.”

State Secretary Zsolt Szabó (Digitalization and Kingdom Relations): “By looking after the protection of privacy of citizens in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, I hope that residents of these islands will experience a lower threshold in filing a report when they face discrimination. I hope that people will use this opportunity to think along how we can regulate this as best as possible.”

Better protection discrimination

The Dutch government is working on a legislation proposal for equal treatment in the Caribbean Netherlands. This regulation is a part of that.

With the equal treatment legislation, residents of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba who feel discriminated on whichever ground (gender, age, descent, religion, handicap, sexual orientation etc.) can appeal to the anti-discrimination provisions.

Residents can also file a report at a new anti-discrimination facility and seek free help and advice there. For this purpose, every island will get a special help desk where to which people can take their broader legal questions. Finally, residents can go to the Human Rights Council for a ruling in their case.