Ghana Parliament Passes Anti-LGBTQ Bill
Ghana’s parliament has passed a controversial bill that severely restricts LGBTQ rights, a move that has been strongly criticized by rights activists.
However, before the bill becomes law, it still needs to be validated by the president. Many observers believe that this validation is unlikely to happen before the general election in December.
Various activist groups have labeled the bill, known as the “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values” bill, as a setback for human rights. They have called on President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government to reject it. However, the bill enjoys widespread support in Ghana, with Akufo-Addo himself stating that gay marriage will never be allowed during his tenure.
Referred to commonly as the anti-gay bill, this legislation has received sponsorship from a coalition that includes Christian, Muslim, and Ghanaian traditional leaders. It has found significant backing among members of parliament.
Homosexual activity is currently prohibited in the conservative West African country, and although prejudice against LGBTQ individuals is widespread, there have been no reported cases of prosecution under the outdated law from the colonial era.
According to the proposed legislation, individuals engaging in same-sex relationships could face imprisonment for a period of six months to three years.
Individuals who support LGBTQ rights may face even harsher consequences, including potential prison sentences of three to five years.
Speaking on the development, a human rights coalition known as the Big 18, an umbrella group of lawyers and activists in Ghana, has condemned the bill.
“You cannot criminalize a person’s identity, and that’s what the bill is doing, and it’s absolutely wrong,” said Takyiwaa Manuh, a member of the coalition.
“We want to impress on the president not to assent to the bill, it totally violates the human rights of the LGBT community,” Manuh told AFP.
Opposition legislator Sam George, who is the primary supporter of the legislation, urged Akufo-Addo to give his approval to it.
“There is nothing that deals with LGBTQ better than this bill that has been passed by parliament. We expect the president to walk his talk and be a man of his word,” George said.
Members of Ghana’s LGBTQ community are worried about the implications of the bill.
Founder and director of the organization LGBT+ Rights Ghana Alex Donkor said, “The passing of this bill will further marginalize and endanger LGBTQ individuals in Ghana.”
“It not only legalizes discrimination but also fosters an environment of fear and persecution,” he said.
“With harsh penalties for both LGBTQ individuals and activists, this bill threatens the safety and well-being of an already vulnerable community.”
According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA), approximately 30 African countries currently have laws that prohibit homosexuality.
In Uganda, Mauritania, and certain northern Nigerian states, same-sex relations are severely punished, with potential consequences including the death penalty.
However, South Africa stands as the sole nation on the continent that permits gay marriage, having legalized it in 2006.
The ILGA reports that only a few countries, namely Cape Verde, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Mozambique, and the Seychelles, have decriminalized gay sex.
