About us

An NGO supporting Women Development and their Family through Public Policy Development & Services

Women Development Center (SEDA)

Sentro pa Desaroyo di Dama i su Famia (SEDA), Women Development Center Curaçao, has been supporting women and their family in their development since Febraury 13th, 1980.

History

Since the closure of the Caribbean Church Women office in 1978, both the women's organizations and the umbrella body of the 5 Antillean countries (Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, Bonaire, and Curaçao; a national Steering Committee) lost three years of great cooperation in the field of women's development and policy making for the government after the UN declaration of the International Women's Day (1975). The 3 most important strategies resulting from the first Caribbean Congress 1975 were:

Promotion of women in politics,
Encourage the young girl to study and become less dependent,
Eliminate all discriminatory laws that prevented the development of women.

This office in the Frederikstraat was the central place for meetings (the 6 Dutch Caribbean islands with the office for family challenges) and archive. The women in Curaçao decided to rent their own building and later with the help of Governor B. Leito and Minister J. de Koning of development aid, bought the building on Seru Fortunaweg in 1982, two year after registering SEDA as a foundation February 13th, 1980.

Vision, Mission, Core Values

Vision
A home of and for Women.
This statement emphasizes the fact that SEDA is a 'home' and property asset wholly owned by women for women.

Mission
Awareness and growth through products, supported by coordinators, and in accordance with the model of a "community of practice" of experts and "mission teams".

Core Values
Values that determine the 'soul' of the organization: Care, Kindness, Faith, Compassion, Peace.

Public Policy & Service Alignment

As stated in the articles of incorporation, SEDA stands for development of the woman and her family in the broadest sense of the word. Extended by its networks and conformance treaties in that sense has always determined SEDA's policy. In 1994, SEDA received a government-funded service contract for the first time due to the research of Advisory Consultancy Interamo confirming the products that SEDA supplied from 1982 to 1994 for the development of women and family were core tasks of the government, as defined by treaties.

After the Nairobi Conference in 1985 and the Beijing Conference in 1995, SEDA established various committees to determine policy based on priorities. It is clear that a policy arising from the treaties ratified by the government to promote the development of women and families is aligned with policy and advice that SEDA offered to the government within the Consultation on Women's Affairs. The establishment of the Women's Affairs Bureau was thus the result.

When Social Affairs closed its doors in 1998, the Social Assistance Service division became SEDA's core business with low-threshold access for the public.

SEDA's 8 products are all based on the 12 priorities of the CEDAW treaty, Sustainable Development Goals (to be reported in 2030):

Women and Poverty / Economy (material and immaterial poverty)
Women and Education
Violence against women
Institutional mechanisms for improving the position of women and their families
Human rights of women
Women (rural women) and agriculture
Young girls and children's rights

General Board

Left-to-Right: Supervisory Director (Steering Committee Representative) Lucille Alberto, Secretary Elma Casimiri, Public Relations Jenny Albertoe, President Meyrtha Leetz-Cijntje, and Senior Advisor Dr. Stella Pieters-Kwiers.

Day-to-Day Management

SEDA is a Product-Oriented Policy organization implementing products based on an annual program in accordance with the policy established by the General Board in collaboration with 3 coordinators, trainers, and mission teams, and volunteering professionals, in conformance with the "Community of Practice" model by David Isaac.

A total of 35 professionals volunteer their time and knowledge creating value for the organization.

Collaboration and Alliances

SEDA collaborates further with a number of local and international contributing organizations:

Women's Work

Steering Committee Curaçao (SCC) - SSC provides candidates for the board and contributes to policy-making and research within women's organizations.
Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CARFRA) - Makes a contribution for research, conference and cooperation and with organizations in the Caribbean
Dedima - Draws the national plan against relational violence (Aliansa)
Slachtofferhulp (Victim Support) - Refers aftercare (material and intangible) to SEDA and requests for "Restorative Circles" for families when reporting retional violence.
Nos Tei Pa Otro (We Are Here For Each Other) - Exchanges informational drug and family issues: becoming family circles carried out together.
Fundashon Maneho di Adikshon (FMA, Addiction Management Foundation) - Provides training in restorative practices and referral students from the Techno Future School.
Famia Plania (Planned Family) and Ministry of Health, Environment & Nature - Sexuality training and research.
Netwerk V.N.Vrouwenverdrag - International contact through the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW Asia Pacific)
Bureau Buitenlandse Betrekkingen (BBB, Kingdom of the Netherlands Representative) - Treaties and mandatory reporting contributions.

Youth Work

Bos di Hubentut - Requests training for their trainers and supervision at school project "Bisa no" (Say No!)
Klinika Capriles i Yuda bo yu - Provides psychological testing where necessary for social assistance.
Fundashon Duna Lus (Give Birth Foundation) - Offers teenage mothers training "Ken mi Ta" (Who Am I) for the family.
Sentro pa Inovashon i Guia Edukashonal (SIGE, Center for Inovation and Educational Guidance) - Referrals and guidance with school problems of clients (SMART)
School Boards and their respective Schools - Collaborate with research and training for Restorative Practices for school social workers and provide to dropouts with behavioral and family problems.
Several Psychologists Private Practices - tests and treatment plan for Techno Future School and daycare Siglo 21.
Public Prosecutor Service - Collaboration project Top C. "Tur Wowo riba bo" (All Eyes on You)

Therapeutic Work

AMA Consulting - provides psycho-somatological support for circles for families and youth.
Brasami - cooperation for approaching school dropouts / prisoners on behalf of the judge.
New Creation - cooperation for addressing school dropouts (also from other islands).
Acretio - cooperation with the registration of students with behavioral issues.
Jeugd Reclassering-AJJC (Youth Probation) - Reporting on young people for Techno Future School.
Zorg en Herstel (Care and Recovery) - Aftercare for former clients of Time-Out-Curaçao (T.O.C.) (Crisis Relief)

Housing

Fundashon Kas Popular (FKP, Public Housing Foundation) - supports the guidance in "Pilgrim Housing" to help those families in urgent need with a subsidized home within a year.

Spiritual Formation and Training

World Council of Churches, The Caribbean Conference of Churches, and Council of Churches Curaçao - provide theological reflections on women's work and family, and support in human trafficking project.

Neighborhood Approach

Ban Bario Bèk and Neighborhood Centers

Further alliances in the social and judicial sector, which are formed with both NGOs and GOs when preparing activities and in line with the nature of the activity: Guardianship Board, Probation Service, Addiction Management Foundation, Skuchami, Neighborhood Police, Detention House, Capriles Clinic, Compulsory Education and Civil Servants, etc.