Hate speech, especially against trans people, remains a concerning issue in Andorra, with governmental bodies often contributing to or spreading bias-motivated speech.

The Comú (city hall) of Escaldes-Engordany, invited the Spanish journalist Maricel Chavarria to a conference, qualifying her as an expert in inclusive language and feminism. Nonetheless, Chavarria aligns herself with trans exclusionary radical feminism perspectives, as indicated by interviews she gave to several newspapers and a video uploaded on the official Escaldes- Engordany’s YouTube channel. The City Council of Escaldes- Engordany responded to concerns raised by Diversand LGBTI association by stating that Chavarria’s views were personal opinions and did not constitute hate speech. The Area of Equality Policies opened a discussion about the conference, but it clarified that it has no jurisdiction over the actions of Escaldes- Engordany’s city hall, as the decision was within the municipality’s autonomy.

According to Law 6/2022, this year, businesses and civil society organisations were bound to implement protocols for the effective implementation of the right to equal treatment and opportunities, as well as for the establishment of guarantees of nondiscrimination. Nonetheless, the law is built on the notion of gender, not gender identity, and defines gender as “the cultural and social construct that, based on biological differences, assigns different emotional, intellectual, and attitudinal characteristics to men and women,” stating that “based on these biological differences, gender shapes social relationships and power dynamics between men and women.” The omission of gender identity results in a gap in explicit protections for trans people in the scope of this law.

Despite the Government’s promise of implementation by late 2023 or early 2024, mechanisms to access transition-related healthcare in Andorra are still not operational. The envisioned mechanisms include establishing a circuit with reference doctors, endocrinologists, and mental health professionals trained in trans healthcare, but these processes have not yet been finalised or accredited by the CASS system.

By December 2024, no specific regulations for gender-affirming care had been published, but the Health Ministry had sent an almost finished draft to Diversand in November 2024. Emphasising the need for more specialised trans healthcare, Diversand suggested that those interested might start their transition abroad, although this is not yet officially facilitated by the Andorran healthcare system.

The organisations have also reported cases of trans people undergoing hormone replacement therapy without professional supervision due to the lack of official measures to access these treatments. After long negotiations between the Health Ministry and Diversand, the Health Ministry affirmed its intention to allow trans people to access transition-related healthcare without psychological evaluation. However, as of 2024, these changes have not been implemented due to delays in finalising the necessary regulations. In one of the meetings between the Health Ministry and Diversand, the Health Ministry affirmed that people younger than 16 won’t have access to gender-affirming care.

This sudden change was likely caused by the publication of the Cass Review in the UK and the reaction to it by neighbouring countries like France.

Andorra is currently facing a challenging housing crisis, with rising rents that have rendered housing emancipation increasingly unattainable, resulting in many people living in overcrowded conditions.

In December 2023, a movement advocating for decent housing emerged, culminating in one of the largest demonstrations in the country’s history. This mobilisation, which continued to gain momentum throughout 2024, marked a significant turning point as civil society, including the LGBTI movement, came together to demand urgent measures to address the housing crisis. Although the government is attempting to implement measures to address the situation, these efforts have largely proven inadequate. According to Diversand, the overall housing crisis disproportionately impacts LGBTI people, particularly those whose families do not accept their identity. Trans people, in particular, are at heightened risk, as the lack of supportive family environments exacerbates the challenges they face in securing safe and adequate housing.

The Department of Equality Policies and Diversand launched a visibility campaign on IDAHOBIT (May 17).

Feminist LGBTI activist Vanessa Mendoza Cortés, who faced defamation charges from Andorran authorities over a report highlighting the lack of access to abortion in the country, was acquitted on January 17. She was accused of defaming her country after having presented a report on the situation of abortion in Andorra to the 74th session of the UN CEDAW committee.

Abortion, even in instances of maternal risk, foetal abnormalities, or rape, remains outlawed in Andorra.

In the last week of October, Diversand participated in Andorra’s Associations Fair, one of the biggest civil society events in the country, for the second time.