De sociale relaties van de bevolking van Curaçao : resultaten Sociale Cohesieonderzoek 2015

Social cohesion measures the sense of unity, mutual involvement and community responsibility among a country’s inhabitants. In order to describe the levels of social cohesion on Curaçao, a questionnaire was prepared after consulting local and international literature as well as actors in the local cultural sector, with questions on different subjects required in order to measure social cohesion within the community of Curaçao.
Stratified sampling with proportional allocation was used for the survey. A total of 2626 respondents participated. A weighting factor was applied to correct for distortions with respect to the population and the figures were grossed up. To describe the views of distinct groups in the Curaçaoan community on the different subjects, a number of demographic groups were analyzed in the survey, namely neighborhood-SES level, age, sex and country of birth.

The following are some interesting results:

Subjective wellbeing: Varying by surveyed demographic group, both agreements and differences of opinion can be seen in the population’s perceived quality of life. Confidence: In the Curaçaoan population, the level of trust in others and in institutions is low. Participation: The Curaçaoan population’s level of participation varies across all the surveyed demographic groups. Inclusion: Members of the community are relatively open toward others, and there is a high level of pride about Curaçao.
Social Mobility: This refers to the upward or downward movement of people within society. The demographic groups analyzed show differences with regard to the members’ personal social development as well as to the future social development they expect for their children. Social Engagement: People feel positively about their neighborhood and there is agreement across all demographic groups on matters involving solidarity toward others. Finally, there is also consensus across most demographic groups with respect to the guidelines on good and evil.

As this was the first time this survey was held in its present form in Curaçao and the region, there is as yet no formula available providing an unequivocal answer on the state of social cohesion on the island. The results can, however, provide an indication of how the population thinks about different social-cohesion related issues. In the future, these initial measurements may be used as benchmarks with which to comp