MPs in Ghana’s Parliament have called for the passage of the “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021,” (Anti-Gay Bill), under a Certificate of Urgency.
The Constitutional Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, in its report on the Bill, underlined concerns regarding potential breaches of international treaties such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civic and Political Rights, and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, among others.
The point was made in Parliament during a debate on the Bill at a Second Reading on July 5, 2023.
The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021,” otherwise known as the Anti-Gay Bill, would among other things provide a duty to citizens to report, meaning, ”anyone aware of gay acts and who fails to report then could also be criminalised”.
Also, any person ”promoting” identities of such acts or people with regards to LGBTQ, could face up to ”10 years in prison”.
Human rights activists have spoken openly against the violation of rights in regards.
Amnesty International has been vociferous in this regard. Genevieve Partington, Country Director, Ghana, said in an interview that she does not comprehend how people would spend time worrying about what two consenting adults decide to engage in the comfort of their bedrooms. She thinks the MPs are oblivious to what is critical to their mandate.
”It is amazing how some people can spend so much time worrying about what is taking place in people’s bedrooms.”
”What the MPs are doing is infringing on the rights of a specific group of citizens.”
The Amnesty Country Director said, the ”Bill is a violation on freedom of expression, a violation on freedom of Association, it is clear infringement on rights,” Genevieve Partington asserted.
For now, Ghana’s LGBTQ advances to the consideration stage.
