Earlier this month in Ghana, MPs re-presented an anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, which was passed by the country’s Parliament in February 2024, but was not enacted.
The law known as human sexual rights and family values was called for a three-year jail conditions to engage in equal-sexual sex, and up to five years for those who are engaged in support of “willful promotion, sponsorship or LGBTQ+ activities.”
In December, the Supreme Court of Ghana rejected two legal dialects to block the bill. It ruled that, as the outgoing President Nana Akufo-Edd had not yet signed the bill in the law, it could not be declared unconstitutional.
President John Mahama, who took over in January, said he was committed to passing the bill, which had received widespread public support in Ghana, but was internationally to curb LGBTQ+ rights.
Stay in fear: Ghana’s LGBTQ+ reality
Abdul-Vadud Mohammed, Deputy Director of LGBT Rights Ghana, told DW that he grew up in Ghana, but left his motherland, which he felt continuously “in danger”. He told DW that he knew by the age of 10 that he was gay.
Mohammed said, “I am just trying to understand what I am. Everyone who knew me that I was gay and it was my life,” he was saying that he said that he was mostly queuing people in Ghana, for his sexuality with some Ghana people.
He is not alone.
“I was personally being killed to be gay,” a bisexual man said while speaking on the condition of anonymity. “A painful phenomenon that faced extreme danger.”
He also ran Ghana for his safety.
A survey published by the Afrabometer in 2021 revealed that the people of Ghana are united and guests-but the majority is intolerant to equal-lingo relations.
Some 93% of Ghanwasis questioned that “somewhat dislikes” or “firm dislikes” are people in equal-lingo relationships, keeping the country near the top in terms of intolerance in 23 African countries. Study.
What did the opponents of LGBTQ+ discrimination begin?
During a radio interview in 2006, Prince Quakeu McDonald, president of the Gay and Lesbon Association of Ghana (Galg), spoke about an upcoming conference of gay and lesbians in other places across Ghana, Akra and other places across the country.
The government had said at the time that they would not allow the search to find for the event – a step that clapped with many ghanas.
Some human rights activists believe that it was a watershhed moment to curb the rights of LGBTQ+ people in Ghana.
“We could not even talk about sex between A and a woman, a lot to talk about LGBT rights … it was a disruption that we carved a harmonious heteronomatic society that we carried for ourselves,” a senior research partner of Democratic Development (CDD) Dr. Michael Akagbor said.
Now, after nearly two decades, the sponsors of the bill have said that it wants to protect children and those who are victims of misconduct.
Protecting or approving hatred?
“My situation is that the bill is an important part of our national life. Ghana’s family values, our children’s innocence should be preserved,” the major proposer of the bill, Samuel George, told the Parliament Appointments Committee.
The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Alban Bagbin said that he is firm to see the LGBTQ+ Bill passed in the law this year.
“it [homosexuality] Hair said, “I will not tolerate any jokes on this matter.
However, Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD), a think tank, which is working to carry forward democracy, said that interaction on family value should be placed in terms of social good rather than majority.
“What is the real meaning of family value? … Is corruption a family value? Is it something that we should be proud of? See how corrupt the actors of our state are becoming, who is teaching the value of corruption to the subject?” Asked CDD’s senior program officer Michael Akagbor.
Emmanuel Allati, head of Ghana’s Amazing Light Christian Center, said that he opposed the law.
“This is a congenital issue and I, I think anyone should be blamed for its consequences. It is uncontrolled that you show enmity to your people on your people, who are impressed,” Eloti told DW. “True Christianity wants to bear to influence our brothers and sisters.”
But some people of Ghana, such as Abdul Mutlib Isah, residents of ACCA, think otherwise.
“If we have to do what they want to do, it can create a crisis,” he told DW.
Ghana fight for LGBTQ+ Rights
May 17 is International Day against Homophobia, Bipobia, Interphobia and Transhobia (Idahobit), LGBTQ+ for the annual celebration to raise awareness about discrimination and violence faced by people.
This year’s theme “No One Left Behind: Equality, Freedom and Justice for All.”
CDD believes that Ghana can end this long battle, considering any law against the sexuality of a minority group for the country is in the form of suppression of their rights.
“We will use all the necessary legal paths to challenge the bill” our situation has not changed; We still have the arsenal to use the court to correct the wrong, “Michael told DW.
Twenty years after discovering their sexuality, Abdul-Vadud said: “I want us to reach a point where people never love an inherent hatred, which is not transplanted or socially in them but from a deep animal place.”
As the country is waiting for what the bill will be made, many members of the queue community of Ghana are constantly in fear of what the future can be for them.
Edited by: Keith Walker
