Ghana Passes Human Sexual Rights Bill Penalizing LGBTQ Promotion
Ghana’s parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill imposing up to 10 years for promoting LGBTQ acts.
Why it matters: This bill represents a major legal shift restricting LGBTQ rights, raising key concerns about constitutional protections and international aid implications relevant to legal and human rights practitioners.
- The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill was passed on May 29, 2026, criminalizing LGBTQ promotion with penalties up to 10 years.
- Engaging in same-sex sexual acts carries up to 3 years’ imprisonment under the new law.
- Exemptions apply to lawyers, journalists, and medical professionals acting professionally.
- Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International condemned the bill as violating constitutional rights and risking increased discrimination.
On May 29, 2026, Ghana’s Parliament approved the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, intensifying penalties against LGBTQ activities. It criminalizes promotion, sponsorship, or advocacy of LGBTQ issues, with sentences up to 10 years. Consensual same-sex sexual relations are punishable by up to three years' imprisonment.
Under the bill, exemptions protect professionals — including lawyers, journalists, and medical workers — when acting within their duties, safeguarding some legal and ethical services. This new legislation marks a significant expansion of Ghana’s colonial-era laws that previously criminalized same-sex conduct.
Bill sponsor Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, a Ghanaian Member of Parliament, emphasized the legislation’s intent "to protect Ghanaian family and cultural values." Yet human rights organizations sharply criticized it. Human Rights Watch labeled the law a "violation of constitutional rights" and warned it may fuel discrimination and abuses against LGBTQ people. Similarly, Amnesty International condemned the legislation, highlighting risks of increased persecution and contraventions of international human rights standards.
Critics argue this law may threaten billions in international aid and jeopardize Ghana's adherence to international agreements, per assessments by global watchdogs. The bill anticipates President John Dramani Mahama's imminent signing, following an earlier unimplemented version passed in 2024.
This measure places Ghana among 30-plus African countries maintaining anti-LGBTQ statutes, with penalties ranging from imprisonment to, in rare cases, the death sentence, underscoring ongoing regional legal challenges.
By the numbers:
- 10 years — maximum imprisonment for promoting LGBTQ activities
- 3 years — jail term for consensual same-sex relations under the new law
- 30+ — African nations with comparable anti-LGBTQ legislation
Yes, but: While the bill aims to uphold cultural values as stated by its proponents, human rights groups emphasize its likely clash with constitutional protections and international human rights obligations, creating legal tensions for Ghana.
What's next: President John Dramani Mahama is expected to sign the bill into law soon, triggering implementation and potential legal challenges domestically and internationally.