WILLEMSTAD – The Council of Ministers has approved Curaçao’s participation in the latest convention of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Convention No. 191, which recognizes a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental labor right. 

Adopted in 2023, the convention establishes occupational safety and health as part of the ILO’s core principles, on par with the prohibition of child labor and forced labor. Member states that ratify the agreement commit to aligning their laws and policies to ensure workers are protected from workplace risks. 

Within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the European Netherlands has already ratified the convention, which will take effect there on October 4, 2025. Curaçao is now the first Caribbean country within the Kingdom to join. Aruba and Sint Maarten have not yet indicated plans to adopt the treaty. 

This step underscores Curaçao’s commitment to improving labor standards and ensuring safer working conditions for all employees.