UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has added his voice to Ghana’s passage of the new Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, also known as the anti-gay bill, describing it as disturbing.
The bill, which was finally passed on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, after three years of deliberation in parliament, has received a lot of backlash from the international community.
The bill seeks to send anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+ to prison for up to three years and also imposes a maximum five-year jail term unto persons who promote, sponsor or support the activities of LGBTQ+.
In this light, the High Commissioner has strongly cautioned against President Akufo-Addo signing the bill into law.
He adds that the bill conflict Ghana’s constitution as well as the undertaken regional and international human rights obligations and commitments.
“I call for the bill not to become law. I urge the Ghanaian Government to take steps to ensure everyone can live free from violence, stigma and discrimination, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Consensual same-sex conduct should never be criminalized.
“The bill is contrary to Ghana’s own Constitution and freely-undertaken regional and international human rights obligations and commitments – including to leave no one behind in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
He added that “not only does the bill violate key international human rights norms and standards on equality, non-discrimination, privacy and equal protection of the law, among others – there is extensive evidence that they legitimize prejudice, expose people to hate crime, police abuse, harassment, intimidation, blackmail and torture. They also perpetuate discrimination and denial of access to basic services, including in healthcare, education and housing.”
He restated his Office’s commitment to work with the Government of Ghana and its national partners to ensure that Ghana fulfils its human rights commitments and obligations.
