Draft:Fundacion Orguyo Aruba

• Comment: You have removed the rejection notice and this is still entirely promotional Theroadislong (talk) 19:03, 11 February 2025 (UTC)

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Fundacion Orguyo Aruba

Official logo of Fundacion Orguyo Aruba (2019)

Fundacion Orguyo Aruba is a non-profit organization based in Aruba, dedicated to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, visibility, and social equality. Founded on August 26, 2019, the foundation has played a key role in the fight for legal recognition and protections for LGBTQ+ individuals in Aruba.

The name "Orguyo" comes from Papiamento, meaning "Pride", reflecting the foundation’s mission to empower and uplift the LGBTQ+ community.

History

Since its foundation, Fundacion Orguyo Aruba has actively worked on increasing visibility for the LGBTQ+ community. The organization has engaged in meetings with government officials, stakeholders, and other advocacy groups to promote equality and inclusion.

The foundation has also partnered with other organizations to support Pride Month celebrations in June, contributing to event promotion and donor outreach. In November 2023, Fundacion Orguyo Aruba independently organized the Diversity Walk, a public demonstration advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility.

In November 2023, the entire board of Fundacion Orguyo Aruba traveled to The Hague to defend their case in the Supreme Court (Hoge Raad) alongside their legal representatives, attorney David Wever and the law firm NautaDutilh.

During June 2024, Fundacion Orguyo actively approached companies, organizations, and universities to encourage participation in Pride Month celebrations. This resulted in numerous Pride-related activations across Aruba, including rainbow flag displays and corporate LGBTQ+ inclusivity initiatives.

Legal Advocacy and Court Cases

In 2019, Fundacion Orguyo Aruba supported a same-sex couple that was denied the right to marry in Aruba. The foundation initiated a court case against the Aruban government, which resulted in a legal victory. However, the ruling did not go far enough in granting full marriage rights, prompting Fundacion Orguyo to appeal the decision. The Aruban government also filed an appeal.

The case proceeded to the Court of Appeal in Curaçao, where it was combined with a similar case filed by Human Rights Caribbean. On December 6, 2022, the Court of Appeal ruled in favor of Fundacion Orguyo and Human Rights Caribbean, effectively opening marriage to same-sex couples in Aruba.

The governments of Aruba and Curaçao subsequently appealed the ruling, bringing the case before the Supreme Court of the Netherlands in The Hague.

Supreme Court Ruling (2024)

On July 12, 2024, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands (Hoge Raad) ruled in favor of same-sex marriage in Aruba, upholding the 2022 Court of Appeal decision. The ruling determined that the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage violated the non-discrimination clause (Article I.1) of the Aruba Constitution.

This decision ensured that same-sex couples could legally marry in Aruba as of the ruling date, with the civil registry required to process same-sex marriages without discrimination.

Political Advocacy

In 2022, Members of Parliament (MPs) in Aruba introduced a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. Fundacion Orguyo Aruba played a crucial role in lobbying and public relations efforts to gather support from both policymakers and the general public. The organization engaged in direct advocacy with MPs, organized awareness campaigns, and mobilized community discussions to push for legislative change.

Despite strong advocacy efforts, the vote resulted in a tie, and the bill was not passed in 2024.

Leadership and Members

The foundation was co-founded by a group of dedicated activists and is led by:

• Bruce Ponson Jr. – President
• Egmar Irausquin – Secretary
• Lydianne Croes – Treasurer

Notable Members

Dr. Julian Torres Rivas – Joined the organization as a member, contributing to its mission and advocacy efforts.