Punish hobby hunters who allow minors to participate in hobby hunting.

Dear Mr. Federal Councillor Rösti

I am contacting you because I am deeply concerned about the participation of minors in recreational hunting in Switzerland.

In 2023, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child stated in General Comment No. 26 that children must be protected from all forms of physical and psychological violence and from being exposed to violence, expressly including violence against animals (see UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment 26). As a State Party to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Switzerland is obligated to guarantee the right of all minors to physical and mental integrity.

The passive and active participation of children and young people in hunting activities—whether as spectators or in the form of assistance and shooting practice during recreational hunting—contradicts this protective mandate. Numerous scientific studies suggest that witnessing violence against animals can be associated with impaired empathy, desensitization to suffering, and increased risks for later psychosocial problems. A compilation of such findings can be found in the dossier "Psychology of Recreational Hunting."

Although hunting in Switzerland is primarily regulated at the cantonal level, the federal government bears the responsibility for ensuring compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It must guarantee that children and young people are effectively protected from situations in which violence against animals – particularly in the context of recreational hunting – is presented as normal, necessary, or acceptable.

I urge you:

To explicitly prohibit the participation of minors in hobby hunting at the federal level, both in active form (e.g., hunting, shooting, tracking) and in passive form (being present during killing).

To consistently sanction hobby hunters and hunting organizations that allow minors to participate in hobby hunting.

To fully implement the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in the «General Comment No. 26» and to ensure that children in Switzerland are not exposed to violence against animals, especially not in the context of recreational hunting activities.

Best regards