The French Minister of State for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Development, Francophonie, and International Partnerships, Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, has stated that Ghanaians must respect the human rights of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) people.
Speaking about the anti-LGBTQ+ bill currently before Parliament, Zacharopoulou stated that because his country, France, and the European Union promote human rights, the rights of LGBTQ+ people must be promoted as well.
“Regarding the LGBT community, in my country and the European Union, we promote human rights, and of course, in my ministry, we have an ambassador who promotes LGBT rights,” she told the press in Accra.
“So what I can say is that this is our value, and wherever I go in Africa, I will continue to say that we have to respect all of us, because the LGBT community is a human rights issue.”
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A bill to further restrict the rights of LGBT+ people was introduced in parliament in August 2021.
It includes criminalizing the defense of LGBT+ rights, requiring “suspects” to be reported, promoting conversion therapy, and imposing harsher prison sentences for homosexuality.
In June 2021, the anti-LGBTQ bill, titled “The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021,” was introduced in Parliament.
The bill’s introduction into Parliament sparked a heated public debate about its appropriateness.
If the bill is approved by parliament, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has the option of signing it into law or vetoing it.
