KRALENDIJK – On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, the House of Representatives approved the introduction of equal treatment legislation for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba.

Based on Article 1 of the Dutch Constitution, various laws ensuring equal treatment apply in the Netherlands. However, these laws do not yet apply to Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. The principle is that legislation should apply to the entire Netherlands unless there is a valid reason to deviate from this.

Research shows that the proposed legislation, which introduces equal treatment laws, is both feasible and important for the residents of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. Therefore, the government, partly at the request of the island governments, is working to implement this legislation on the islands. Once enacted, residents will be able to invoke these laws if they experience discrimination. For assistance and support in cases of discrimination, residents can turn to an anti-discrimination facility. This facility will be integrated into the free legal aid office currently being established for each island.

Next Steps in the Senate

The proposed legislation will now be sent to the Senate for consideration. It will become final if the Senate also approves it.