Tag Archives: LGBTQ+

Regional

Ghana: Pro-LGBTQ billboard pulled down following uproar

Maravi Post Reporter

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City authorities in Ghana’s capital Accra have pulled down a pro-LGBTQ billboard at a strategic location following an uproar over its presence.

The billboard, which has four hands joined as a team, is said to have been mounted at the strategic spot of the motorway with the inscription “When all Ghanaians are treated equal no matter where they are or who they love that’s true freedom.”

An LGBTQI+ group had reportedly revealed on a radio station in Accra that it sponsored and put out the said billboard.

It sparked an uproar with some lawmakers sponsoring the bill aimed criminalizing the activities of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) asking Ghana’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) to, as a matter of urgency, invite those who put up a billboard at the Accra end of the motorway.

Ningo- Prampram MP Sam George who speaks for the lawmakers also gave the IGP 24 hours to pull down the billboard promoting the activities of LGBTQI+ community.

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“The IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, must within the next 24 hours carry out the necessary security operations to ensure that the billboard, which was an upfront to the 1992 Constitution, was taken down.

Failure to take action, as citizens we will take action as enjoin by our Constitution to defend the Constitution,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the MPs at the site where the said billboard has been mounted, Sam George said it breeches Articles 11 and 26 which talks about Ghana’s cultural sovereignty.

“As sponsors of the bill before Parliament and as members of Parliament who represent the aspirations and will of Ghanaians, we have deemed it important to show up here today to register in the strongest way our displeasure, discomfort and abhorrence for this unholy, un-culturable and untraditional advertisement that has been put up on this road,” the MP said.

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He subsequently announced on his facebook page that the billboard has been pulled down. Many Ghanaians have taken to social media to comment on the development.

Uproar over establishment of LGBT office in Ghana

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Regional

Ghana’s president calls for tolerance over anti-LGBTQ+ bill debate

Maravi Post Reporter

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Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has said that he expects tolerance from citizens as the country’s parliament prepares to debate an anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

The bill which is being sponsored by some Members of Parliament has support of religious bodies and seeks to criminalize all same sex related activities including activism.

Various human rights activists have expressed their displeasure at Ghana’s lawmakers to pass such a law.

Debates over the bill have been intense and heated but President Akufo-Addo called for civil debate and tolerance.

“What I would hope for is that the debate itself be civil, that we will recognise the need for us to be tolerant of each other even when there are opposing views,” Akufo-Addo said in an interview with Accra based radio station Peace FM.

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“I think it will be a credit to Ghanaian democracy if this matter is handled in the correct manner,” the president added.

President Akufo-Addo has already said same-sex marriage would never be legalised under his presidency.

This month some Ghanaian lawmakers were reported to have been livid about their alleged visa denial by some embassies in the country over the anti-LGBTQI bill.

The country’s Minority lawmakers confirmed that the move to pass the bill into law has not gone down well with some members of the Western diplomatic community, leading to visa denial of some MPs.

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The minority MPs warned the diplomatic community that no amount of intimidation and threats will stop them from passing the anti-LGBTQ bill pending before the house.

The issue of homosexuality is very controversial in most African countries, where there is very little support for such rights.

Ghana’s MPs threaten to retaliate visa denial over anti-LGBTQ+ bill

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Human Rights, Regional

UN Human Rights Council criticizes Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ+ bill

Maravi Post Reporter

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The United Nations Human Rights council has criticized Ghana’s attempt to introduce tougher laws against LGBTQ+ persons and their activities in the country.

Ghana’s lawmakers have laid in parliament a new draft bill titled “The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021″.

It is being sponsored by some individual lawmakers who are anti-LGBTQ+ activists.

According to details of the bill, anyone of the same sex that engages in sexual intercourse are “liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than seven hundred and fifty penalty units and not more than five thousand penalty units, or to a term of imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than five years or both.”

This punishment also covers any person who “holds out as a lesbian, a gay, a transgender, a transsexual, a queer, a pansexual, an ally, a non-binary or any other sexual or gender identity that is contrary to the binary categories of male and female.”

Punishing promoters of LGBTQ+ activities

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The bill also seeks to punish those it deems promoters and allies of the LGBT+ community with a jail term.

There is also punishment for persons who engage in activities that “promotes, supports sympathy for or a change of public opinion towards an act prohibited under the Bill.”

Such offenders are liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than five years or not more than ten years.

A panel of UN experts said in a statement that “Passing this law in its current or even partial form would violate a significant number of human rights, including the absolute prohibition of torture.”

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They also indicated that the new bill “will not only criminalize LGBTI (I for intersex) people but also all those who support or show sympathy for human rights.”

Various human rights activists have already expressed their displeasure at this attempt by Ghana’s lawmakers to pass the law.

Bill enjoys support of Ghanaians

The bill seems to have strong support among Ghanaians.

Nana Yaa Agyepong, a member of Silent Majority Ghana, a transnational queer feminist group told DW “This is something that we cannot have because we have Ghanaians that deserve to live safely and at peace at home and not forced into exile.”

She is also worried that the bill “squashes conversations and dissents around the bill so people would not be able to do public education or media appearances or even on social media.”

But one of the eight members of parliament who proposed the bill, Sam George, told DW that “We are just bringing our laws up to speed to ensure that so long as our national position has not changed and still homosexuality is an illegality, let’s make the laws reflective of that.”

“Our constitution says rights can be curtailed so long as they pose existential threat to the public safety, public health and public moral,” he said adding that “This act of homosexuality poses a public health challenge and a public moral challenge.”

Ghana’s current criminal code only outlaws what it describes as “unnatural” carnal knowledge. The law is however silent on explicitly mentioning LGBT people and those who promote their activities.

If the bill is eventually passed into law only Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo, who has vowed not to legalize same-sex marriages will have the final say either to sign it or veto it.

Ghana: Court dismisses case against 21 LGBTQ+ rights activists

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Regional

Ghana: Court dismisses case against 21 LGBTQ+ rights activists

Maravi Post Reporter

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A Court in Ghana has dismissed a case brought against 21 LGBTQ+ rights activists arrested for attending a meeting in the country’s Volta regional town of Ho.

The 16 women and 5 men were attending a paralegal training at a hotel when they were arrested on May 20, 2021 for “unlawful assembly”.

That paralegal training session was being put together by Rightify Ghana, a human rights organization.

The participants were meeting on how to document and report human rights violations against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

According to the police the arrest was on the grounds that the training session was promoting homosexuality and that the gathering was an unlawful assembly.

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The police subsequently detained them for 22 days and the courts also denied multiple bail requests there after.

The court however dismissed the case brought against the activists on Thursday August 5, 2021.

A police prosecutor told the court that the state unable to continue with the prosecution due to insufficient evidence.

“The court has today struck out the case based on the advice received, and the 21 have been acquitted and discharged. It means that the case is over and they are free,” Chief Superintendent Akolgo Yakubu Ayamga said.

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The lawyer for the accused, Julia Selman Ayetey who confirmed the ruling said “We welcome the decision and that has always been our argument from the beginning of this case.”

She explained that “It has been a rough journey since May but thankfully the law has spoken.”

The arrest and detention of the activists sparked protests outside the Ghana Embassy in the United States of America with calls for Ghana to drop charges against the LGBTQ+ activists.

Rights activists kick against Ghana’s anti-LGBT+ draft bill

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Regional

Global celebrities sign letter to back LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana

Maravi Post Reporter

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Global celebrities including Actor Idris Elba and fashion icon Naomi Campbell have signed an open letter showing support for the LBTQ+ community in Ghana.

67 of such celebrities and influential figures with Ghanaian origin signed the letter in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community amid recent uproar over gay rights activities.

In the letter published in the media, the celebrities said “In recent weeks we have watched with profound concern as you have had to question the safety of your vital work at the LGBT+ Rights Ghana Centre in Accra, and feared for your personal wellbeing and security. It is unacceptable to us that you feel unsafe.”

“As prominent and powerful advocates for this great country, we are beseeching His Excellency, The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and political/cultural leaders to create a pathway for allyship, protection and support.

We petition for inclusivity which will make the nation even greater and even stronger.”

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Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has publicly commented on the recent uproar over activities of LGBTQ+ persons in the country.

He was forced to comment amid anger from citizens over the opening of a meeting space for persons of such sexual orientation in the capital, Accra.

The centre for the LGBTQ+ was raided by police and shutdown last week to the delight of many Ghanaians who oppose same-sex related activities.

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Ghana’s President during the weekend told a religious gathering in a town called Asante Mampong that legalizing same-sex marriage will never happen under his presidency.

He told the gathering on Saturday that “I have said it before, and let me stress it again, that it will not be under the Presidency of Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo that same-sex marriage will be legal.”

Cheered on by the gathering the President insisted that same-sex marriage “will never happen in my time as President.”

Ghana's President Akufo-Addo on same sex marriage

Many LGBTQ+ persons in Ghana are reportedly living in fear after the closure of their community center.

Ghana’s Constitution drafted in 1992 guarantees human rights to all persons.

The country is required by the UN, other international instruments and obligations, as well as its 1992 Constitution to protect the rights of all citizens in Ghana.

Ghana has committed to provide Equal Protection of the Law from violence and discrimination to all persons including LGBTI people under the United Nations Universal Periodic Review mechanism.

The countries laws however do not recognize same-sex unions and sexual relationships between LGBTI persons.

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Regional

Ghana’s President says same-sex marriage ‘will never happen’ under him

Maravi Post Reporter

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Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has publicly commented on recent uproar over activities of LGBTQ+ persons in the country.

For weeks now, there has been a public outcry over the activities of LGBTQ+ persons in Ghana.

It followed the opening of a meeting space for persons of such sexual orientation in the capital, Accra.

The centre for the LGBTQ+ was raided by police and shutdown last week to the delight of many Ghanaians who oppose same-sex related activities.

Ghana’s President during the weekend told a religious gathering in a town called Asante Mampong that legalizing same-sex marriage will never happen under his presidency.

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He told the gathering on Saturday that “I have said it before, and let me stress it again, that it will not be under the Presidency of Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo that same-sex marriage will be legal.”

Cheered on by the gathering the President insisted that same-sex marriage “will never happen in my time as President.”

Akufo-Addo on same sex marriage

Many LGBTQ+ persons in Ghana are reportedly living in fear after the closure of their community center.

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Shortly after the shutdown of the office, the LGBT+ Rights Ghana said in a statement on twitter that “While this unfortunate incident has happened, we wish to encourage all our members, and queer Ghanaians to stay calm. Do not panic. We will triumph.”

LGBTQ+ persons in Ghana complain of rights abuses, threats against their lives for their sexual orientation.

For many Ghanaians however, the sexual orientation of LGBTQ+ persons and related activities are alien to the Ghanaian culture and beliefs.

Ghana’s Constitution drafted in 1992 guarantees human rights to all persons.

The country is required by the UN, other international instruments and obligations, as well as its 1992 Constitution to protect the rights of all citizens in Ghana.

Ghana has committed to provide Equal Protection of the Law from violence and discrimination to all persons including LGBTI people under the United Nations Universal Periodic Review mechanism.

The countries laws however do not recognize same-sex unions and sexual relationships between LGBTI persons.

Government, media, and religious homophobia in Ghana

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Regional

Opinion: The reflections of a day-old Lesbian

Maravi Post Reporter

As one would expect, I have done my fair share of introspection on the events of the past 24 hours (from February 24-25, 2021) and I can understand how anyone with subpar or at best average intellect would make the inference that was made from my earlier post.

I did say I was grateful for the community of like-minded people I have by which I meant the feminist community on social media, other allies and friends I could call and vent to about some of the ludicrous arguments being made in support of homophobia.

I also alluded to how one’s activism could reflect on one’s family, a point predicated on an earlier conversation I had with my mum who was concerned that by using the ally logo as my profile picture on Whatsapp, I was giving people cause to associate me with the queer community.

So yes, I agree that without much context, anyone with a cocky confidence in their ability to read and understand the English language could conclude that I was outing myself.

The story also said I am studying in Europe on scholarship, the only part of what I can only describe as a joke of an article I wish was true.

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Again, I appreciate why this was a necessary addition because it feeds into the argument that activists are doing the bidding of western sponsors.

Honestly, if all takes to secure a scholarship is to come out once in while to say something remotely radical as supporting gay rights, then I would gladly sell my soul to a white God. Ooops, we already have one of those, don’t we?

This incident has made me more aware of the privilege I enjoy as a heterosexual woman because after the initial shock of seeing what had been written about me, it was easy to dismiss it for what it was; crass journalism.

You see, unlike a closeted queer person, I wasn’t faced with the dilemma of denying or claiming my identity. Neither did I have to worry about whether or not family and friends would accept me for who I am.

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I could afford to laugh about this with my friends; a luxury that members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Ghana do not have.

A dear friend of mine who is gay and living in Ghana called me yesterday and told me how he feared that in an attempt to defend me, he might out himself. I empathise with him and other members of the community who haven’t dared to speak up since this conversation resurfaced.

For them, to survive is to remain silent and to trust in the allyship of activists, a call I will continue to honour everyday, with all I have.

I understand how difficult it must be to launch a sustained attack on a people you can’t put a face to.

And by virtue of my previous job and my publicly shared opinions on the matter at hand, I see how a section of the media would consider me a good candidate to be used as the LGBTQIA+ poster child.

Apart from this being a malicious misrepresentation of my views, I do not feel that this article is a dent on my reputation. That would be suggesting that being queer is something so abhorrent that I should vehemently fight to dissociate myself from. If I do that, I would be alienating the same people whose rights I am advocating for.

Ultimately, this experience has been one of those liberating moments for me. Tagging gay rights activists as being members of the queer community themselves, is by far the ‘deadliest’ weapon in the arsenal of detractors.

Now that that card has been dealt, I feel free to go about defending the values and beliefs I hold most dear. The stoic philosopher Seneca once said, “There are more things likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality”.

Far from taking away my power and dimming my light, this development is just the motivation I needed to be more confident in my convictions and to use my voice and platform to advance the cause of humanity.

Author: Tawakalitu Braimah (a Ghanaian, former broadcast journalist and currently a Masters Student in Intercultural Management at the University of Burgundy, France.)

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Regional

Anxiety grips LGBTQ+ people in Ghana after office shutdown

Maravi Post Reporter

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Many LGBTQ+ persons in Ghana are now living in fear after police raided their community center in the capital, Accra to shut it down.

On Wednesday police stormed the office space which is within a residential community to lock it up.

The shutdown was carried out reportedly on the orders of the owner of the facility who gave it out to leaders of the LGBTQ+ last year for rent.

For weeks now there has been a huge public uproar over the opening of the office space which was backed by the European Union and foreign diplomats.

A cross-section of Ghanaians called for the closure of the office space which was meant to be a meeting place for members of the LGBTQ community in Ghana.

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They complain of rights abuses, threats against their lives for their sexual orientation.

For many Ghanaians however, the sexual orientation of LGBTQ+ persons and related activities are alien to the Ghanaian culture and beliefs.

LGBTQ+ persons urge calm

Shortly after the shutdown of the office, the LGBT+ Rights Ghana said in a statement on twitter that “While this unfortunate incident has happened, we wish to encourage all our members, and queer Ghanaians to stay calm. Do not panic. We will triumph.”

But members of the community are now living in fear, worried they would be identified and targeted.

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The LGBT+ Rights Ghana earlier also said is members “no longer have access to our safe space and our safety is being threatened.

We call on all human rights organizations, and allies to speak out against these attacks and hate crimes we are being subjected to.”

Human rights group criticize office shutdown

But Amnesty International has condemned the police for the invasion of the safe space for LGBT Rights Ghana.

The Acting Country Director for Ghana, Frank Doyi told local news outlet JOY FM that “The circumstance under which the facility was invaded is what we consider to be a clear violation of the very laws that we all seek to uphold.”

He adds that “The question we like to ask again is whether or not the individuals who were found in that particular facility were seen engaging in any act, if they were not then clearly it’s an issue of the security agencies engaging in an act that is not supported by our laws.”

“When the rights of individuals are clearly violated, then that becomes a serious issue of concern.”

Anti-gay rights activists and religious bodies have all called on the government to declare its stance on LGBTQ+ in the country.

Ghana’s laws on human rights

Ghana’s Constitution drafted in 1992 guarantees human rights to all persons.

The country is required by the UN, other international instruments and obligations, as well as its 1992 Constitution to protect the rights of all citizens in Ghana.

Ghana has committed to provide Equal Protection of the Law from violence and discrimination to all persons including LGBTI people under the United Nations Universal Periodic Review mechanism.

The countries laws however do not recognize same-sex unions and sexual relationships between LGBTI persons.

A thorny issue

Recognizing the rights of Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons is a thorny issue in most African countries.

Only a handful of countries on the continent are willing to discuss and recognize the rights of such persons.

Most Africans consider the sexual orientation of such persons immoral, absurd and an affront to their culture and religion. They are always apprehensive when the issue of homosexual rights come up.

Ghana is one of the countries that is struggling to settle the issue of gay rights once and for all.

In 2018 a new survey conducted showed that Ghanaians are more apprehensive about the perceived negative consequences of LGBTI issues than surge in crime rates.

They also will prefer to live in poverty, become jobless and have poor infrastructure than recognize the rights of gays.

The survey was conducted by African Centre For International Law and Accountability (ACILA).

Ghanaians prefer to live in poverty than recognize gay rights

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