LGBTQ Community on Edge: Ghana Nears Passing Bill That Could Limit Their Rights
Proposed Bill Threatens to Restrict LGBTQ Rights – What You Need to Know
On Wednesday, Ghana’s parliament advanced toward voting on a bill aimed at tightening restrictions on the rights of LGBTQ individuals, dismissing a proposal to replace jail terms for homosexual activity with alternative measures like counseling.
A coalition of Christian, Muslim, and Ghanaian traditional leaders have sponsored the legislation, which is supported by the majority of lawmakers. It would impose up to 10 years in prison for promoting the rights of individuals who are lesbian, gay, or have other non-conventional sexual or gender identities.
Gay sex is already punishable in the country by up to three years in prison, and this would increase to five years under the bill.
Ruling-party lawmaker Alexander Afenyo-Markin withdrew his proposed amendment after its rejection on Wednesday. He argued that imprisoning individuals for LGBTQ offenses would “worsen homosexuality and its promotion,” thereby undermining the original intent of the bill.
The bill, considered one of the strictest in Africa, will undergo further adjustments before being voted on in parliament. If passed, it would necessitate presidential approval to take effect.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has yet to confirm whether he will endorse the bill for enactment.
Advocates aim to have the bill ratified by March.
According to activists, discussions surrounding the proposed bill have intensified concerns within the LGBTQ community, which already experiences discrimination and hostility.
A 27-year-old lesbian and LGBTQ activist, who preferred to remain anonymous, informed Reuters that the community is experiencing heightened anxiety as the bill approaches passage.
“We would now have to be extra careful with our way of life,” she said.
In 2021, the UN cautioned that the proposed legislation, The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values, would establish “a system of state-sponsored discrimination and violence” targeting sexual minorities.
In May 2023, Uganda enacted one of the most stringent anti-LGBT laws globally, which included the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality.”
Activists noted that this move triggered a surge in abuses, leading the World Bank to halt new funding to the country.
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