In a legislative move generating significant debate, lawmakers in Ghana have reintroduced the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill to Parliament. This controversial bill, which had previously stalled, aims to intensify penalties for LGBTQ+ activities and advocacy within the country. Currently, Ghanaian law punishes gay sex with a maximum of three years in prison; however, the new bill seeks to increase this to five years. Additionally, it sets stiff penalties ranging from five to ten years for funding or promoting LGBTQ+ rights, effectively targeting both individuals and groups supporting LGBTQ+ causes.
The bill, originally introduced in 2021 under the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanian Family Values Bill, was passed by Parliament on February 28, 2024, but failed to become law. Former President Nana Akufo-Addo had declined to sign the bill before the end of his term, citing pending legal challenges and awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision. As these cases were dismissed later regarding the necessity of presidential assent, the bill effectively expired with Akufo-Addo’s term ending in January 2025.
The resurgence of the bill comes amid vocal support from current President John Mahama, who advocated for its reintroduction as a governmental rather than a private member’s initiative. During the Fellowship with the Clergy event, he reaffirmed his commitment to traditional gender norms and marriage definitions, bolstering the bill’s relaunch alongside ten sponsoring lawmakers, including notable MPs Samuel Nartey George and Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah from the ruling National Democratic Congress.
The bill’s reintroduction has met with sharp criticism from NGOs and advocacy groups. Organizations like LGBT+ Rights Ghana have condemned the legislative push as a vehicle for oppression, echoing sentiments recently shared by Human Rights Watch researcher Larissa Kojoué. She emphasized that such a law contravenes Ghana’s tradition of tolerance and its international human rights obligations. According to her statements, the bill would potentially erode the rule of law and escalate violence against the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.
This legislative development has heightened the focus on Ghana’s human rights landscape, as both national and international entities await the potential outcomes of this renewed parliamentary effort. More information can be found in the full report.