Standing united against hate: A national effort to prevent and tackle hate crime and hate speech in Portugal

IPS is partnering in a new national initiative aimed at strengthening and unifying the response to hate dynamics across Portugal. Bringing together 10 Portuguese partner organisations from diverse sectors, including civil society, academia, law enforcement, technology, and media, the initiative seeks to foster collaboration and drive meaningful change.

Hate crime and hate speech are escalating threats that harm individuals and undermine the foundations of a just and inclusive society. In Portugal, reported hate crime cases increased from 132 in 2020 to 344 in 2023, yet only 5 were prosecuted, and just 3 resulted in sentencing (OSCE, 2023). This sharp disparity reveals systemic gaps in detection and accountability, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated action.

It is within this context that IPS proudly announces the launch of the COOPERHATE “Multidisciplinary Cooperation Approach to Prevent and Counter Hate Crime and Hate Speech” project. The project is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme of the European Commission. This pioneering initiative is designed to deliver a stronger and more unified response to hate dynamics across Portugal, namely:

Provide an unprecedented national framework for understanding hate dynamics;

Improve knowledge of hate crime and hate speech among civil society organisations, law enforcement agencies, IT companies, and judicial actors;

Increase detection, reporting, investigation, and prosecution of incidents;

Strengthen the capacity of public authorities and civil society to prevent and respond effectively;

Foster public awareness and empower victims through innovative frameworks.

To achieve this, COOPERHATE will combine legal, technological, training, and awareness initiatives, developing detection and assessment tools, enhancing cross-sectoral collaboration, and providing tailored support to professionals and victims.

These efforts are already taking shape, beginning with an initial online meeting where consortium members came together for the first time to align on key tasks and establish a shared vision for the project’s goals. The official project launch is scheduled for late October, marking the start of a 24-month implementation period.

At IPS, we are proud to contribute to this vital initiative, coordinated by the Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV). IPS’ role will be focused on developing a capacity-building initiative to effectively counter hate crime and hate speech. This will include the design and implementation of blended-learning (b-learning) and training courses, which will later be piloted and evaluated.

Additionally, IPS will organise COOPERHATE Talks — a series of awareness-raising and dissemination events engaging target groups at both national and international levels. These talks aim to foster knowledge exchange and promote the adoption of the COOPERHATE approach in Portugal and across other European countries.