Ghana’s Parliament has passed a controversial anti-LGBTQ bill that is now awaiting approval from President John Mahama before it can become law.
The proposed legislation, known as the Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, prescribes prison terms of up to three years for people involved in same-sex relationships.
It also provides jail terms of between three and five years for individuals found promoting, sponsoring, or supporting LGBTQ activities.
The bill was first passed unanimously by Parliament in 2024. However, former President Nana Akufo-Addo did not sign it before leaving office, causing it to lapse under Ghana’s constitutional provisions.
Lawmakers have reintroduced and approved the bill, retaining most of its earlier provisions. However, exemptions were added for journalists, legal practitioners and healthcare professionals.
Ghana already criminalises same-sex relationships under existing laws inherited from the colonial era, although there have been no recent prosecutions under those provisions.
The bill has drawn criticism from human rights groups and international organisations, which argue that it could undermine fundamental rights and further marginalise sexual minorities in the country.
In December 2024, the Supreme Court of Ghana dismissed legal challenges seeking to block the bill, ruling that the matter was premature because the legislation had not yet received presidential assent.
The lawsuits were filed by broadcaster Richard Dela-Sky and researcher Amanda Odoi, who argued that the bill violated constitutional rights.
Concerns have also been raised by Ghana’s finance ministry and some international partners, including the United States, over fears that the law could affect international funding and investment support for the country.
