Drawing International Backlash Ghana’s parliament has unanimously approved a harsh anti-LGBTQ bill that seeks to broaden criminalization of same-sex relations and gender nonconforming individuals in the West African nation, sparking condemnation abroad even as the legislation awaited presidential approval to become law.
The bill’s passage came despite months of activism from Ghana’s LGBTQ community and objections from diplomats globally who warned the discriminatory measure threatened fundamental freedoms while undercutting public health efforts against HIV/AIDS.
“After three long years, we have finally passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act,” declared Sam George, a leading sponsor of legislation he portrayed as defending Ghanaian identity against foreign influence. Other backers framed the bill as preserving “family values” in the religiously conservative nation.
But international observers described the bill as an assault on basic liberties across Ghanaian society – freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and more. “Limiting the rights of one group in a society undermines the rights of all,” the United States State Department asserted.
United Nations’ human rights chief Volker Türk dubbed the bill “profoundly disturbing,” pleading with Ghana’s government not to validate discrimination he said would “affect everyone” by inhibiting vital health services and economic activity.
As outcry resonated from Hollywood celebrities to religious figures, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo faced mounting pressure to reject the legislation. But Akufo-Addo previously backed public debate over legalizing same-sex marriage, leaving observers uncertain if he would overrule parliament.
Ghana’s complex colonial legacy left a legal code banning homosexual activity, a status quo some politicians now push to reinforce. Activists counter that consensual relations should remain private matters beyond the state’s control. With passions inflamed on both sides, the coming decision over giving force to the controversial bill may shape Ghana’s future global status.
