Federal Council adopts first national action plan to combat hate crime against LGBTIQ persons
Bern, 28.01.2026 — The Federal Council is committed to better protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) persons against hate crimes and violence. To this end, it adopted the first National Action Plan at its meeting on 28 January 2026. The plan has three scopes of action: support and protection for victims, prevention of hate crime, and monitoring acts of violence.
Significant progress has been made in recent years in terms of equality and rights for LGBTIQ people in Switzerland. This is reflected in the criminalisation of discrimination and incitement to hatred based on sexual orientation, the simplified process for changing legal sex and first name at the civil registry office, and marriage for all. Despite these legislative advances, the daily lives of LGBTIQ people continue to be marked by discrimination and experiences of verbal, physical, sexual or psychological violence, which have a significant impact particularly on their health.
The Federal Council believes that no one in Switzerland should be subjected to discrimination or violence on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sexual characteristics. The 2026–30 National Action Plan to Combat Hate Crime against LGBTIQ Persons aims to create a safer and more respectful environment for this group of people by improving their protection against hostile attitudes and violence, ultimately creating a safer society for all.
Twelve measures at federal and cantonal level
The National Action Plan, developed by the Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE) under a parliamentary mandate and in consultation with stakeholders from within and outside the Federal Administration, seeks to reduce hate crime, violence and discrimination against LGBTIQ persons. It focuses on three scopes of action – support and protection, prevention, and monitoring – and consists of 12 measures. On the one hand, the National Action Plan includes pragmatic and achievable short and medium-term measures, such as organising a training course on caring for victims of violence, updating existing documentation on LGBTIQ topics in sport, and raising awareness of these topics. On the other hand, it aims in the long term to enshrine the protection and equality of LGBTIQ people in institutional and societal practices, in particular by improving access to emergency accommodation, support for victims of violence and measures to prevent violence in sport, and by introducing a tool at national level for reporting violence and hate crime.
The FOGE will coordinate and monitor implementation of the National Action Plan. A review will be carried out before it expires in 2030. The possibility of extending it will be examined at the same time.
The National Action Plan was developed in response to Postulate 20.3820 Barrile “National Action Plan against Anti-LGBTQ Hate Crimes”, which was adopted by the National Council on 1 June 2022. From 2024, the Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE) was tasked with examining LGBTIQ topics within the Federal Administration and drawing up a national action plan. To support it in this task, the FOGE formed an advisory group made up of several Federal Administration agencies (FDFA, WiAF, fedpol, FSIO, FOJ, FOPER, FSO, FOPH, FOSPO, SSN, SEM, SCRA), three intercantonal conferences (CCJPD, CCPCS, CDSS) and relevant umbrella organisations (InterAction, LOS, Pink Cross, TGNS).
National Action Plan to combat Hate Crimes against LGBTIQ Persons 2026-2030