United nations urges support for Ombudsperson accreditation in Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten

GENEVA--GREAT BAY--A new United Nations review of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has specifically called for support to help the Ombudsperson institutions of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten achieve accreditation in line with the Paris Principles, while also urging stronger support for civil society organizations in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom so they can more effectively monitor women’s rights obligations and participate in international review processes.

It means St. Maarten’s Ombudsman may still function as an important oversight body locally, but it does not have formal international recognition as a national human rights institution that meets the Paris Principles, the UN-backed standards for independence, mandate, resources, and effectiveness.

In practical terms, that can limit its standing in international human rights systems, reduce its ability to participate fully in certain UN processes, and raise questions about whether it has the structure, autonomy, and institutional support expected of a fully accredited rights body.

The recommendation appears in the latest concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which reviewed the Kingdom of the Netherlands and pointed to institutional weaknesses affecting implementation of the Convention across all four countries of the Kingdom.  

In response, the Committee recommends that the State support the accreditation of the Ombudsperson institutions in Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten and consider seeking technical assistance from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.

The recommendation is significant because Paris Principles accreditation is widely regarded as a benchmark for institutional credibility and independence in the human rights field. Such accreditation can strengthen the authority of an Ombudsperson institution, improve its ability to investigate and address rights complaints, and enhance international confidence in its role as an independent safeguard within democratic governance structures. In practical terms, stronger, accredited institutions can play a more effective role in accountability, public trust, and rights protection.

The Committee’s findings also point to wider concerns about the role and capacity of civil society in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.

Taken together, the Committee’s recommendations outline that rights protection in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom depends not only on laws and policy, but also on the strength and independence of local institutions and the ability of civil society to participate, monitor, and advocate without structural disadvantage. For Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten, the report places renewed focus on institutional credibility, public accountability, and whether the bodies meant to protect rights are adequately equipped to do so.

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