Punish hobby hunters who allow minors to participate in hobby hunting
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child stated unequivocally in 2023 with "General Comment No. 26": Children must be protected from all forms of physical and psychological violence, including exposure to violence against animals. As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Switzerland is obligated to effectively uphold this right.
Numerous studies show that witnessing violence against animals can impair children's capacity for empathy, lead to desensitization toward suffering, and be associated with later psychosocial problems. An overview can be found in the dossier “Psychology of Hobby Hunting”. Children and young people have a right to physical and mental integrity — and that includes not exposing them as passive spectators or active participants in the violence of hobby hunting.
Nevertheless, hunting associations actively recruit minors, appear in schools, and take children along on hobby hunts. This practice is indefensible from the perspectives of children's rights, psychology, and animal welfare ethics. This is discussed in greater detail in, among other contributions, “Children Must Be Protected from the Violence of Hobby Hunting” and “No to Instruction by Hobby Hunters in Schools” as well as in the open letter to the Federal Council: “No Minors in Hobby Hunting”
We call on the Federal Council to enact clear legislative measures to prohibit minors from participating in hunting activities and to consistently sanction violations.
Dear Federal Councillor Rösti
I am writing to you because I am deeply concerned about the participation of minors in hobby 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 exposure to violence, explicitly including violence against animals (cf. UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment 26). As a signatory 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 adolescents in hunting activities — whether as spectators or in the form of assistance and shooting practice within the context of hobby hunting — contradicts this mandate to protect. Numerous scientific studies suggest that witnessing violence against animals can be associated with impaired empathy, desensitization to suffering, and increased risks of later psychosocial problems. A compilation of such findings can be found in the dossier “Psychology of Hobby Hunting.”
Although hunting in Switzerland is primarily regulated at the cantonal level, the federal government bears responsibility for ensuring compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It must guarantee that children and adolescents are effectively protected from situations in which violence against animals — particularly in the context of hobby hunting activities — is presented as normal, necessary, or acceptable.
I call on you to:
Explicitly prohibit the participation of minors in hobby hunting at the federal level, both in active forms (e.g., participating in hunts, shooting, tracking wounded game) and in passive forms (being present during acts of killing).
Consistently sanction hobby hunters and hunting organizations that allow minors to participate in hobby hunting.
Fully implement the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in General Comment No. 26 and ensure that children in Switzerland are not exposed to violence against animals, particularly not in the context of hobby hunting activities.
Sincerely,
Cast your vote now
Your signature counts.