The 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council

27 February – 4 April 2023

Item 6: Universal periodic review of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Date: 28 March 2023

Joint Statement with EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ)

Delivered by Kiyana Newell / GICJ

Thank you, vice President.

We welcome the report of the Working group, and we thank The Kingdom of the Netherlands for participating in the Universal Periodic Review.

We commend the Kingdom of the Netherlands for supporting the promotion of the full protection of its kingdom, including the Caribbean from the negative effects of climate change, and considering fiscal policy creation and implementation, with keeping in mind vulnerable groups as states have recommended.

We also commend the State’s objective to eliminate differences in human rights protection and welfare levels between the European and the Caribbean Netherlands.

However, there is still much to be done regarding climate change in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The reports of islands not receiving enough financial or general support in this regard is alarming. Climate change disproportionately affects the most vulnerable groups and currently there are little safety nets to circumvent the impact of climate change to those in the Caribbean.

The International Organization for the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination and Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ) wants the Kingdom of the Netherlands to take further action regarding climate change as soon as possible in order to protect everyone under climate change.

Furthermore, we recommend the full implementation of effective measures to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change including the least socioeconomic resilient groups in the Dutch Caribbean

The support for climate change cannot wait and the impact of it is deadly for those who need support the most.

I Thank You