Ghana's parliament voted to jail people for promoting LGBTQ rights or not reporting them
On 29 May 2026 Ghana's Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 by voice vote after the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee unanimously recommended it, Reuters reported. The bill keeps prison terms of up to three years for same-sex acts, punishes "funding, sponsorship or promotion" of LGBTQ activity with three to five years, creates a "duty to report" prohibited acts to police with up to three years for failing to do so, and makes the offences extraditable. The International Commission of Jurists said the bill goes directly against Ghana's non-discrimination obligations under the ICCPR, ICESCR and African Charter, and urged President John Dramani Mahama to reject it. Speaking at Chatham House on 1 June 2026, Mahama said his legal advisers and attorney general would review the private member's bill and could refer it to the Council of State; an earlier version passed in 2024 was never signed, and the Supreme Court declined to rule on it before enactment.
it introduces a "duty to report" prohibited LGBTQ acts to a police officer or other authorities
"We will look at it and make sure that everything is in order," Mahama said
This Bill goes directly against Ghana's international human rights obligations of non-discrimination
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Said "We will look at it and make sure that everything is in order" and could refer it to the Council of State.
Announced the bill passed by voice vote after unanimous committee recommendation.
No outcome recorded yet.