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Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Violates Fundamental Human Rights – CDD Ghana

Story by Julia Elinam Nani

The Ghana Centre for democratic development(CDD) in a press conference held on February 27, 2024, highlighted the implications of the passage of the Human sexual rights and Family Values Bill,2021(also known as the LGBTQ+ Bill), on the rights and Freedoms of LGBTQ+ persons and other important institutions like the media.

Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, a member of CDD, a non-governmental research and advocacy institution, mentioned that the bill if passed into law would infringe upon some very essential rights and freedoms of a minority group of citizens found culpable based on their sexuality.

Professor Audrey Gadzekpo –

These rights include the right to dignity, freedom of speech, academic freedom, and freedom of association amongst others.

According to her “Rights are the pillars upon which democracy rests to prevent the tyranny of the majority ”.She emphasized the importance of rights in constitutional democracy and how the said bill could lead to dangerous consequences.

She also mentioned that the bill will restrict the freedom of the media because any citizen who broadcasts or publishes any story or reports about or in support of LGBTQ activities is liable to a 3-year prison sentence.

Before this, a workshop was organized for media personnel where some members of the organization(CDD) enlightened the media on some of the effects the bill would have on the freedom of speech of the media.

Anti-LGBT Bill History

The Ghanaian anti-LGBT bill (formally the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill) is a proposed law in Ghana that would introduce wide-ranging restrictions on LGBT+ rights.

The long of the title of the draft law is “A Bill to provide for human sexual rights and family values and related matters.”[5]

Among the provisions of the most recent version of the bill are:

  • Up to 3 years of imprisonment for engaging in same-sex intercourse;
  • 6 to 10 years of imprisonment for anyone who produces, procures, or distributes material deemed to be promoting LGBT+ activities;
  • A requirement for citizens and institutions to “promote and protect proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values”;
  • 6 months to 1-year imprisonment for a “public show of romantic relations” between people of the same sex;
  • 6 months to 1-year imprisonment for a “public show of romantic relations ” with someone who has undergone gender reassignment or who cross-dresses;
  • A ban on providing trans healthcare;
  • Forced disbanding of all LGBT+ associations in Ghana, along with 6 to 10 years of imprisonment for anyone taking part in such an association;
  • A ban on sponsoring LGBT+ groups;
  • A clause that holds owners of digital platforms or physical premises in which LGBT+ groups organise equally guilty of promoting LGBT+ activities;
  • Prohibition of same-sex marriage;
  • Prohibition of marriage to people who have undergone gender reassignment;
  • 6 to 10 years of imprisonment for anyone who teaches children about LGBT+ activities or teaches that there are more genders than the gender binary;
  • A ban on adoption and fostering for LGBT+ potential parents;
  • 6 months to 3 years imprisonment for anyone who harasses someone accused of being LGBT+;
  • A clause allowing the government to extradite people convicted under the bill

Source: Adoanews.com

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