HISTORY OF ANTI-LGBTQ+ IN GHANA
Homosexuality in Ghana was first criminalised under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, when Ghana was under British rule. The Offences against the Person Act 1861 (24 & 25 Vict c 100) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The Act was implemented in all British colonies.
Same-sex sexual activity is already illegal in Ghana under the country’s criminal code, which was enacted in 1960. Specifically, Section 104(1)(b) of the Criminal Code criminalizes “unnatural carnal knowledge,” which has been interpreted to include same-sex sexual activity. The penalty for this offense is imprisonment for a term of up to three years. The bill is 36 pages long and describes its objective as “to provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values. The bill prohibits propaganda of, advocacy for, or promotion of LGBTTQQIAAP+ and related activities.
Recent LGBTQ+ Actions
In February 2021, the opening of an LGBTQ+ community center in Accra, the capital of Ghana, sparked backlash from religious and political leaders. The center was eventually closed down by Ghanaian security forces, and some of the organizers were arrested and charged with promoting LGBTQ+ activities
Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 (Anti-LGBT bill) has been laid in Parliament and has gone through its first reading. The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has assured that the bill will be passed before the 8th Parliament is dissolved. The bill seeks to introduce wide-ranging restrictions on LGBT+ rights and would introduce long jail terms for LGBTQ people.
The bill has faced opposition from human rights groups and activists who have described it as seeking to extinguish and erase gay and queer identities in Ghana.
On Monday, March 27th 2023, the Vice president of America, Kamala Harris, spoke about LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana. However, when asked about the issue of LGBTQ+ in Ghana, Harris said that for her, being LGBTQ is a human right. President Nana Akufo-Addo, in his response, repeatedly refused to say what he would do if the bill is passed – saying he would wait to see what his parliament does.
The bill is currently under review by a parliamentary committee. It is widely expected that the bill will win enough votes to become law in Ghana.
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