No Rights for LGBTQ Ghanians

Lack of Human Rights for LGBTQ Ghanians

Helena Habtemariam

Ghana, like several other African countries, fails to create a safe environment for the LGBTQ community. The Ghanaian government does not allow the registration of LGBTQ organizations, and their Criminal Code prohibits same-sex relationships. Any “homosexual activity” has been criminalized, with “offenders” potentially facing imprisonment. Individuals that identify as LGBTQ are seen as immoral, contributing to high rates of discrimination and harassment. They have no legal protections. 

According to Humans Rights Watch, LGBTQ Ghanaians express that “…they either felt they had little choice but to adopt self-censoring behavior, or worse, deny their sexual orientation or gender identity to avoid suspicion by family members and the communities in which they live” (Isaack, 2018). 

Just last October, the World Congress of Families held a regional conference in Accra, Ghana, with a goal of promoting the problematic idea of a “natural family”. This organization is strongly anti-LGBTQ, as they advocate for conversion therapy and promote very harmful narratives about LGBTQ individuals. This organization’s presence further attacks the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ Ghanaians. 

On the other hand, a conference held by LGBTQ activists planned for this year was cancelled, with a spokesman for the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection disclosing that the “[Ghanaian] government won’t allow such a conference and that is it” (Asiedu, 2020).  

While there have been times of hope, such as the creation of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, these types of policies and organizations have not truly changed Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ environment. 

References

Gyamfi, E. (2017, October). Just Like Us. Retrieved from

https://www.movingwalls.org/moving-walls/24/just-like-us.html

Outright Action International. (n.d.) Ghana. Retrieved from

https://outrightinternational.org/region/ghana

LGBT Rights in Ghana. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.equaldex.com/region/ghana

Asiedu, K. (2020, March 12). Ghana bans LGBT+ conference after Christian groups protest.

Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ghana-lgbt-religion/ghana-banslgbtconference-after-christian-groups-protest-idUSKBN20Z31L

Isaack, W. (2018, January 17). "No Choice but to Deny Who I Am". Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/report/2018/01/08/no-choice-deny-who-i-am/violence-and-discrimination-against-lgbt-people-ghana