Switzerland adopts its first National Action Plan against LGBTIQ+ hate crimes

Switzerland adopted its first-ever National Action Plan against LGBTIQ+-motivated hate crimes on 28 January 2026. The Federal Council approved the package on the recommendation of the Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE/EBG). The plan covers twelve measures over four years, running through to 2030.

The measures include awareness campaigns, improved training for law enforcement, support for counselling services, and a strengthening of statistical data collection on hate crimes targeting LGBTIQ+ people. The plan responds to a persistent finding: hate crimes against queer people are rarely reported and even more rarely prosecuted.

That finding is reinforced by the eighth annual report of the LGBTIQ-Helpline, published in May 2026. The helpline recorded 281 reported incidents — more than in previous years. Over 80 percent of those affected reported experiencing discrimination. At the same time, only around 10 percent said they had filed a police report. The helpline emphasises that the real scale is far greater and that official statistics capture only the tip of the iceberg.

The National Action Plan marks a turning point: it is the first time Switzerland has addressed hostile acts against LGBTIQ+ people systematically and at federal level. Previously, cantons had been largely left to act on their own; the plan creates a coordinated national framework for the first time. For anyone who wants to report a hate crime, the LGBTIQ-Helpline at stophate.ch remains the first point of contact — incidents can be documented confidentially there without filing a police report. For medical and sexual health support, Checkpoint centres and the SwissPrEPared programme are available across Switzerland.