Basel

Description of the city

City of Basel, Canton of Basel, Switzerland. Population: about 208 000 inhabitants

Goal

The legal and de facto equality of LGBTIQ people in Basel-Stadt in all areas of life

 

Policy

Basel supports and strengthens equality for people of all genders and sexual orientations in all areas of life. Intersectional perspectives are taken into account. For this Basel became in 2025 the first can-ton in German-speaking Switzerland to enshrine this in a new Cantonal Equality Law. Equality for LGBTIQ persons is a cross-cutting task within the various government departments, whereby the Of-fice for Equality plays a coordinating role and is specialized in LGBTIQ issues.

Since 2024, measures taken by government agencies regarding LGBTIQ issues have been part of Ba-sel-Stadt’s 2024-2027 equality plan. This action plan will be renewed every four years. Since September 2024, the Office for Equality has a project manager for LGBTIQ issues and financial resources at its disposal. The new Cantonal Equality Law came into force in June 2025 and committed to promoting equality for people of all genders and sexual orientations.

Focus Areas

Funding for projects and services by and for the queer community: Since autumn 2025, the Office for Equality has been regularly awarding grants for projects and for the development and provision of civil society-based services for LGBTIQ people in Basel. These may be in the areas of counselling and support, education, awareness-raising or community building.
Coordination within the administration, advising the government council and administration on LGBTIQ issues
Networks between government, community and other experts, e.g. regular round table discussions with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders
Own projects by the Office for Equality
Measures taken by various departments as part of the 2024-2027 equality plan, such as gender-inclu-sive language, monitoring hate crimes, ensuring access to sanitary facilities and changing rooms in sport for people of all genders. The equality plan contains 80 measures, with LGBTIQ being a cross-cutting issue and specific measures relating to LGBTIQ also existing.

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Collaboration partners

Due to its cross-cutting nature, a wide range of government agencies are involved in gender equality work, from HR, school social work, asylum coordination to the police. Various civil society bodies, or-ganisations and groups are involved in promoting equality and supporting LGBTIQ people. These
stakeholders meet regularly at a round table for networking, exchange and dialog starting in autumn 2025.

The Equality Office works in collaboration with

  • Local and national LGBTIQ specialist organisations, groups and collectives in all their diversity
  • Specialist groups, individuals and services from various disciplines.
  • The Equality Office is in a regular exchange and collaboration with the specialist offices and delegates on LGBTIQ issues from other cities and cantons as well as the federal government