If Parliament passes the LGBT bill, Amnesty International has declared that it will file a lawsuit against it.
This follows the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) calling for a revision of some parts of the proposed Ghanaian Family Value Bill 2021, also known as the Anti-LGBTQ bill, and the promotion of Proper Human Rights.
The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference has expressed support for the bill and emphasised that it is incorrect to criminalise someone’s sexual orientation.
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The bill must be rejected because it violates Ghana’s Constitution, according to Genevieve Partington, the Country Director for Amnesty International, who was speaking on Starr Today with Joshua Kojo Mensah.
“To begin with, there is no definition of what an LGBT person is in the bill. How will you, then, recognise an LGBT person?
A specific section of the bill addresses sentimental expressions of love. What is romantic affection shared by members of the same sex? Are two men holding hands outside of the LGBT community, in your opinion? These are a few of the worries we have expressed regarding the bill, along with numerous other parts that we find problematic, according to Madam Patington.
“So, it will bring homophobia to Ghana,” the speaker continued, adding that since Ghana now grants visas upon arrival, visitors could be mistakenly detained.
“People who are suspected of being LGBT are being evicted from their homes, and landlords are facing the process of forced eviction. As Ghanaians, we truly need to be concerned about this bill and realize that it won’t just affect LGBT community.
Amnesty International, as I have always stated, vehemently opposes this bill, believing it should not be passed and that making someone a criminal for something they do in their bedroom violates international human rights treaties. Thus, we shouldn’t even be thinking about it.
We must take into account all of these factors because it violates the 1992 Constitution. If the bill is passed, Amnesty International will challenge it in court. We have that as our agenda since we are permitted to,” she continued.
