Ghana Parliament Passes Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill

Ghana's parliament has passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, which codifies penalties for certain acts related to LGBTQ+ identification and promotion. The legislation sets a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment for identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. It also requires citizens to report prohibited acts to police.

Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, the member of parliament who sponsored the bill, told parliament that the legislation would protect Ghanaian family and cultural values. The bill includes exemptions for legal, media and healthcare professionals who report on or provide services related to these issues. Anyone identified as an ally of LGBTQ+ people could also face prison time under the measure.

President John Dramani Mahama must still ratify the legislation before it becomes law. Same-sex relationships have been illegal in Ghana under statutes dating from the British colonial period. Religious leaders have pressed for strengthened laws since Mahama assumed office.

A similar bill passed in 2024 but former President Akufo-Addo did not sign it amid legal challenges. Human Rights Watch submitted a formal recommendation to the constitutional and legal affairs committee in Accra urging that the bill be abandoned. The organization stated that the measure would place LGBTQ+ people's lives at risk and encourage citizens to surveil and denounce one another.

Senegal's parliament approved comparable legislation in March that sets a maximum ten-year prison term for same-sex sexual acts and criminalizes the promotion of homosexuality. Uganda introduced the death penalty for certain same-sex acts in 2023.