This is Serious

To my dear colleagues in law, government, finance, and public service — and to everyone who believes that justice should be accessible across borders:

The Internationaal Juridisch Instituut (IJI), a nonprofit legal institute founded in 1918 in the Peace Palace in The Hague, stands on the brink of liquidation. Without immediate financial support, this trusted institution – vital to justice across the Dutch Kingdom – may be forced to close its doors.

This column is not just an observation – it’s an open appeal. I’m writing this because I believe in what the IJI stands for. I believe that access to justice across jurisdictions is not a luxury, but a necessity. And I’m standing up for an institution that has quietly made that belief possible for over 100 years.

🇳🇱 A Quiet Giant of International Law

For over a century, the IJI has helped legal professionals do what they do best – even when foreign law complicates things. If you’re a judge, lawyer, notary, or mediator dealing with a complex international case, the IJI is your behind-the-scenes partner.

It’s not a think tank. It’s not just a research centre. The IJI is a living knowledge engine that helps you get it right, across borders. It offers:

• Expert advice on private international law and foreign legal systems
• Clear guidance – tailored to your specific case
• A range of support: in-depth reports, email advice, or even a quick phone consult
• A vast internal knowledge base, built over decades
• A network of international legal experts and partner institutions

Private international law is notoriously tricky – even seasoned professionals stumble. The IJI is there to help you not stumble. And by doing that, it helps protect the integrity of the justice system as a whole.

🇦🇼 What It Means for Aruba and the Dutch Caribbean

While perhaps underutilized at times, in our neck of the woods – the Dutch Caribbean – the IJI is a quietly indispensable resource. Our courts, lawyers, and notaries rely on the IJI in cases involving cross-border family law, foreign inheritance, maintenance enforcement, and the recognition of foreign court decisions.

In smaller jurisdictions like Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the BES-islands, where we don’t have teams of comparative law experts at our fingertips, the IJI becomes more than a support service – it becomes infrastructure. It allows us to treat international cases with the same precision and efficiency as local ones.

Without the IJI, we lose that foundation. And when justice systems start operating with less certainty, it’s the most vulnerable people – children, migrants, single parents – who bear the costs.

Preserving the IJI means preserving our ability to deliver justice that crosses borders without breaking down.

💶 Let’s Step Up – Governments, Now Is the Time

To the governments of Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, BES-islands and the Netherlands: this is the moment.

If each government in the Kingdom were to pledge €100,000, we could resolve the (immediate) funding crisis today. Whether that comes in the form of a donation, a pre-paid services agreement, or a tailored solution, I’m confident we can work something out. And yes – I’m more than willing to help facilitate that process.

If this leads to greater use of the IJI in the Dutch Caribbean or show that we on this side of the pond care about what happens in the Netherlands? Even better. That’s not a burden – that’s progress.

And more than anything, it would show that as partners in a Kingdom, we are capable of pulling together, pooling our strengths, and solving problems – together.

🗳️ Sign the Petition – Now, Not Later

The IJI has launched an online petition, and – frankly – I think it needs help. As of now, they haven’t even hit 1,000 signatures.

Come on – we can do better than that.

I’m asking — genuinely, urgently — that you sign the petition right now. Not tomorrow. Not later. Now.

👉 Click here to sign the petition

Fill in:

• Naam (name)
• Emailadres (email address)
• Woonplaats (residence)

You can sign publicly or anonymously, but make sure you confirm your signature via the follow-up email – otherwise, it doesn’t count. You have to make it count!

Here’s what you’re signing for:

We,
Employees, board members, clients, and supporters of the Internationaal Juridisch Instituut (IJI),

Observe that:
– Social legal aid is not equipped to handle international cases effectively.
– Access to justice for many low-income individuals, including children, is under pressure and leads to unjust outcomes.
– Previous cuts to legal aid create bigger, costlier problems later in proceedings.
– The IJI cannot survive without subsidy.

And we request
that the Ministry of Justice and Security restore funding for legal aid so the IJI can continue to guarantee access to justice for all who need it.

Dr. Fieke van Overbeeke — A Legal Leader for Our Time

At the helm of the IJI is Dr. Fieke van Overbeeke, and let me just say – the organization is in brilliant hands.

I met Dr. Fieke during a private international law class she taught at the University of Aruba, and I was instantly struck by her intellect, humor, and gift for clarity. She’s a razor-sharp legal mind with a deeply human touch – the kind of person who makes complex legal systems feel like navigable terrain.

Fieke earned her Ph.D. from the University of Antwerp, focusing on social competition and European cross-border employment. She has published, lectured, and practiced widely – and she brings all that experience to the IJI, where she has served first as counsel and now as CEO.She doesn’t just run the IJI. She embodies its values: precision, accessibility, and cross-border collaboration.

🧭 Why I’m Writing This – And Why It Matters

I’ve spent years advocating for justice across the Dutch Kingdom – in courtrooms, classrooms, and columns like this one. The IJI has been a steady, if often invisible, partner in that journey.

This isn’t just about saving an institution. This is about protecting what connects us as legal professionals, as jurisdictions, and as people.

I believe we can do better. And I believe we must.

🔚 Final Word: What Happens Next Is Up to Us

1. Let’s remember what’s at stake
The IJI is not just a legacy. It’s an active part of our legal infrastructure – and we will feel its absence if we let it go.

2. Let’s move from concern to commitment
Sign the petition. Talk to your networks. Reach out to decision-makers. Offer support. This is the moment for action.

3. Let’s act like one Dutch Kingdom
We’ve shared institutions for over a century. Let’s share the responsibility to protect this one, too.

See you next week. Until then, visit www.lincolngomez.com to read more columns and follow my ongoing advocacy for justice across the Dutch Kingdom.

Oh – and let’s keep this just between us for now… Dr. Fieke van Overbeeke doesn’t know I’m doing this, so shhh. We’ll tell her once we’ve saved the IJI. 😄