Swiss National Council passes landmark Inclusion Act for disability equality

The National Council has voted in favour of the Inclusion Act, making a significant step towards modernising Swiss disability policies and bringing more equality for disabled people living in Switzerland.

Parliament votes through disability law

The lower house of the Federal Assembly in Switzerland has passed a new inclusion law (the Inclusion Act or Inklusionsgesetz) by 108 votes to 80. The Inclusion Act is an indirect counter-proposal by the Federal Council to an initiative put forward in 2024 by several disability organisations.

The initiative, “For the equality of people with disabilities (Inclusion Initiative)”, called for the “strengthening of equality of people with disabilities in all areas of life and enabling their participation in society,” a parliamentary press release explains.

The government's counter-proposal slightly amended the initiative to “reflect the views of the left and the initiators.” The Inclusion Act will now go to a vote in the Council of States.

Aligning Swiss law with UN CRPD standards

The law will finally implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in Switzerland. The CRPD aims to “promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities.” According to the European Disability Forum, all European Union member states had ratified the CRPD by 2018.

The Swiss Inclusion Act also focuses on protecting individuals' right to choose where they live and the type of housing they live in, with the necessary support.

Around 1,8 million people in Switzerland are disabled, according to the Federal Statistical Office, although this number excludes children under the age of 16 and people living in retirement or nursing homes.

While organisations like Inclusion Handicap welcomed the vote “as a sign that the need for action in disability policy is recognised across party lines,” the government’s counter-proposal is “too vague” to have a meaningful impact on improving the daily lives of people with disabilities, according to an Inclusion Handicap press release.