Responding to the passing of the “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024” by Ghana’s parliament on February 28, Amnesty International’s Ghana Country Director, Genevieve Partington, said:
“The Parliament’s passage of this draconian bill is shocking and deeply disappointing, coming shortly after Ghana was elected to serve at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
“The bill is one of the most draconian in Africa and seeks to further criminalize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. It also seeks to punish anyone who supports or advocates for LGBT people, including human rights defenders, medical professionals, journalists, teachers, and landlords in violation of the right to freedom of expression and association, with a prison term.
“LGBTI people have already reported forced evictions, loss of jobs, increased violence and other violations of the rights guaranteed by the country’s Constitution since the bill was introduced in parliament.
The bill is one of the most draconian in Africa and seeks to further criminalize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. It also seeks to punish anyone who supports or advocates for LGBT people, including human rights defenders, medical professionals, journalists, teachers, and landlords in violation of the right to freedom of expression and association, with a prison term.
Genevieve Partington, Amnesty International’s Ghana Country Director
“Amnesty International urges President Nana Akufo Addo to respect the human rights of all persons and not to sign this extreme form of discrimination into law, affecting everyone in the country.”
Ghana’s parliament passed the bill just before the international day of zero discrimination on 1 March 2024.
