Ghana’s parliament has voted to pass a controversial bill to severely restrict LGBTQ rights, in a move that has been condemned by Western human rights activists.
A coalition of religious and traditional leaders sponsored the legislation that is favoured by most lawmakers and that passed in parliament on Wednesday.
The bill will punish those who take part in LGBTQ sexual acts, as well as those who promote the rights of gay, lesbian or other non-conventional sexual or gender identities with time in prison.
The bill, one of the harshest of its kind in Africa, still has to be signed by the President before it becomes law.
Some observers however believe it is unlikely to become law before a general election that is slated for December 2024.
Activist groups have called the “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values” bill a setback for human rights and urged President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government to reject it.
But the legislation is widely supported in Ghana, where Akufo-Addo has said gay marriage will never be allowed whilst he is still in power.
Commonly referred to as the anti-gay bill, it received sponsorship from a coalition comprising Christian, Muslim, and Ghanaian traditional leaders, finding substantial backing among members of Parliament.
Gay sex is already illegal in the conservative West African nation, but while discrimination against LGBTQ people is common no one has ever been prosecuted under the colonial-era laws.
Under the provisions of the bill, those who take part in LGBTQ sexual acts could face imprisonment ranging from six months to three years.
The bill also imposes a prison sentence of three to five years for the “wilful promotion, sponsorship, or support of LGBTQ+ activities”.
