SDG documentary brings the urgency of poverty and food security into sharp focus

Willemstad, February 10, 2026 — On Friday, February 6, 2026, the Social and Economic Council (SER) of Curaçao facilitated an exclusive, closed preview screening in its main conference room of the first episode of the documentary series The State of the SDGs; Navigating Sustainability on Curaçao. SER members, representatives of civil society organizations, the social partners, and other stakeholders attended to jointly reflect on the practical meaning of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Curaçao.

The SDGs form part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in 2015 by all UN Member States, and provide global direction for coherent action across social, economic, and environmental domains. In Curaçao, the SDG framework is embedded in the national policy architecture through the National Development Plan 2015–2030, complemented by a Roadmap for SDG Implementation that calls attention to programmatic delivery, institutional coordination, data, and monitoring.

At the opening of the session, Raúl Henriquez, Director and Secretary-General of the SER, welcomed those present—also on behalf of the Acting Chair —and underscored the SER’s role as a platform for evidence-based dialogue among government, the social partners, and civil society. In that capacity, the SER seeks to help ensure that socio-economic policy not only aligns in principle with international frameworks but also produces tangible improvements in people’s live experience.

The first episode focused on SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and showed how these goals take shape in Curaçao in concrete, day-to-day practice. Central to the screening was the work of the Daily Meal Program, which provides warm meals multiple times per week to people in vulnerable circumstances. The discussion following the screening made clear that poverty and food insecurity are not abstract statistics, but daily realities for a significant part of Curaçao’s population, with older persons particularly affected—both by constrained financial means and by barriers such as digital exclusion that can limit access to information and essential services.

These outcomes underline why a broad prosperity approach is increasingly indispensable. Broad prosperity is not limited to economic growth; it places the quality of life at the center of policy—income security, health opportunities, social inclusion, and participation. From this perspective, the SDG agenda helps anchor progress not only in indicators, but in what residents experience in their everyday lives.

The SER expresses its appreciation to the initiators and partners involved, including The Recycled Pirate | Life Awareness & Innovations, Aisvarya Productions, and Club17 Curaçao, for their contribution to making sustainable development practice visible and discussable on the island. The production team has announced that the first episode will soon be made publicly available via YouTube, and that an open online viewing will be organized to enable wider public participation.