Ghana’s parliament passed a harsh new bill which would penalize the LGBTQ+ community as well as their allies.
If the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values bill becomes law, it will mean that individuals found to be forming or funding LGBTQ+ groups could face a maximum of five years in prison and any individual who identifies or promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer identities in the West African country could face a prison term of up to three years.
Gay sex acts have were already outlawed in the country.
Ghana’s Parliament has passed a bill that imprisons people who identify as LGBTQ. The bill now goes to President Nana Akufo-Addo for assent.
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) February 29, 2024
An Arizona-based organization called Family Watch International is promoting these anti-gay bills in Africa.pic.twitter.com/3qOnpuIFdR
The bill would also criminalize “cross-dressing.”
“After three long years, we have finally passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act,” said bill sponsor Sam George, who wrote on X, formerly Twitter. George thanked his colleagues for helping him push the bill through, adding, “Our values would be protected and defended so long as we have a voice. For God and Country.”
After three long years, we have finally passed the HUMAN SEXUAL RIGHTS & FAMILY VALUES ACT 2024.
— Sam 'Dzata' George 🦁🇬🇭 (@samgeorgegh) February 28, 2024
I am grateful to my Colleague sponsors who have waged this battle with me to a successful end. Our collective gratitude goes to our Leadership and the Rt. Hon. Speaker for their… pic.twitter.com/ruw686fWJR
The bill is now waiting to be signed off by President Nana Akufo-Addo. Akufo-Addo has said that as long as he is in power, gay marriage will never be allowed.
Several other African countries have been criticized for their anti-LGBTQ+ laws, with just 22 of 54 nations allowing homosexuality.
In May, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed a punishing anti-gay, including the death penalty. Like Ghana, the bill not only criminalizes identifying as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, but it also outlaws same-sex intercourse, promoting and abetting homosexuality and conspiracy to engage in homosexuality.
There are now fears that the bill will further marginalize members of the LGBTQ+ community, ultimately driving them underground.
“The passage of this bill, it demonstrates to me and all Ghanaians that our politicians do not respect our democracy. They do not respect our constitution, nor do they respect the many international rights treaties that Ghana has signed onto over the years,” a queer person who wished to remain anonymous told The Associated Press. “I don’t know how much longer I can continue to live in a country that has criminalized me,” she said.
A coalition of Christian, Muslim, and Ghanaian traditional leaders sponsored the legislation.
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the United States Department of State, issued a statement condemning the bills’ passing.
In his statement, Miller said, “Limiting the rights of one group in a society undermines the rights of all” and called for a “review of the constitutionality of the bill to protect the rights of all individuals in Ghana.”
The Ghanaian parliament’s passage of a bill criminalizing members of the LGBTQI+ community imperils the rights of all its people, its international reputation, and its economic development. Ghana’s laudable tradition of tolerance will be undermined if this bill becomes law.
— Matthew Miller (@StateDeptSpox) February 28, 2024
“Ghana’s tradition of tolerance, peace, and respect for human rights is a source of stability and prosperity that has long served as a model for countries around the globe,” said Miller. “This legislation is inconsistent with these values and will, if it becomes law, undermine this laudable tradition.”
