Anti-LGBTQ bill approved in Ghana: Advocacy will also be considered a crime

12PUNTO FOREIGN NEWS

In a session held on February 28, members of parliament unanimously passed the 'Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.' The bill had been drafted three years ago, and campaigns had been organized by various civil society organizations for its passage in parliament.

The law passed in the Ghanaian Parliament criminalizes not only LGBTQ relationships but also advocacy for these rights. According to the law, criminal sanctions will now be applied in Ghana for demanding legal rights for LGBTQ individuals, expressing opinions regarding inequality and discrimination, organizing protests for LGBTQ rights, and similar situations.

Sam George, one of the individuals who worked for the passage of the bill, said in a message shared on his X account, "After three long years, we have finally passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill."

The bill requires the approval of the President of Ghana to become law.

HIV AND AIDS DISEASES MAY SPREAD IN GHANA

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk described the parliament's passage of the bill as 'extremely disturbing' and called on the government not to sign the law. In his statement, Turk said, "The bill expands the scope of criminal sanctions against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, and queer persons - simply for being who they are - and threatens those who defend the rights of LGBTQ+ persons with criminal sanctions."

United Nations HIV/AIDS Program Director Winnie Byanyima warned that if the bill becomes law, the fight against HIV and AIDS will be harmed.

Byanyima said, "To reach the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, it is vital to ensure that everyone can access essential services equally without fear, stigma, or discrimination, and that life-saving HIV prevention, testing, and treatment providers can take the necessary measures."

Ghana is one of the countries with the highest number of HIV and AIDS cases in the world. According to World Bank data, the AIDS rate in the country was 1.7% as of 2021. In 2022, a total of 354,927 people in the country had contracted HIV.  

News Source: 12punto