Ghana parliament passes anti-LGBTQ+ bill
Ghana’s parliament has approved a new bill criminalizing homosexuality and the promotion of LGBTQ+ activities.
A person who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer can be sentenced to up to three years in prison. The bill also introduces the duty to report prohibited acts to the police.
Religious leaders have been pressuring President John Dramani Mahama, who still must approve the law, to strengthen anti-gay laws since coming to power last year.
The ban was harshly criticized by international organizations including Human Rights Watch; He said the ban puts the lives of LGBTQ+ people at risk and also “encourages citizens to spy on and report each other.”
Same-sex relationships are banned in Ghana under British colonial-era laws.
In his address to Parliament, the sponsor of the bill, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, said that the bill protects the Ghanaian family and cultural values.
He said the new bans would make existing laws “more robust, more inclusive and stricter in dealing with LGBTQI practices”.
Anyone who identifies as an “ally” (a general term for an LGBTQ+ supporter) could also face prison time.
Exemptions were included for legal, media and healthcare professionals who report on LGBTQ+ issues or provide medical treatment or other services to gay people.
Human Rights Watch recommended canceling the bill in its official presentation to the constitutional and legal affairs committee examining the legislation in the capital Accra.
Ghana also passed a similar bill in 2024, but it failed to become law due to legal challenges from former president Akufo-Addo.
President Mahama stated that he would support the adoption of the bill shortly after taking office, saying, “I believe in the principles and values that there are only two genders (man and woman). And marriage is between a man and a woman.”
In recent years, many African countries have cracked down on LGBTQ+ rights.
Senegal’s parliament approved similar legislation in March that imposes a maximum 10-year prison sentence for sexual acts by same-sex couples and criminalizes the “promotion” of homosexuality.
Uganda introduced the death penalty for certain homosexual acts in 2023.
