LGBTQ Bill is Contrary to Ghana’s Own Constitution, Do Not Pass it - UN to Gov't

-
The recent remarks made by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, regarding Ghana's proposed "Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024," are drawing significant attention. Türk expressed deep concern over the implications of this bill, which he described as profoundly disturbing.

Related To This: Parliament Passes Controversial Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill After 3 Years of Deliberation

In his statement, Türk highlighted several troubling aspects of the bill. He emphasized that the legislation not only expands the scope of criminal sanctions against individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transexual, and queer (LGBTQ+), but also threatens legal repercussions for those perceived as allies of the LGBTQ+ community. 

Türk called for the bill to be rejected before it becomes law, urging the Ghanaian Government to uphold the rights of all individuals to live free from violence, stigma, and discrimination, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.


Furthermore, Türk underscored that the bill goes against Ghana's own Constitution and its commitments under regional and international human rights frameworks. By criminalizing consensual same-sex conduct and impeding the work of human rights defenders, educators, healthcare providers, landlords, and others, the bill restricts fundamental freedoms such as freedom of association and expression.

Related To This: US Ambassador to Ghana Condemns Passage of Anti-LGBT Bill

The High Commissioner warned that enforcing criminal sanctions for consensual same-sex relationships not only violates core human rights principles of equality, non-discrimination, and privacy but also fuels prejudice and exposes individuals to various forms of abuse and discrimination. 

Türk emphasized the detrimental impact of such legislation on access to essential services like healthcare, education, and housing, perpetuating systemic discrimination.

In conclusion, Türk emphasized that the passage of the bill would have corrosive effects on Ghanaian society at large. He reaffirmed his Office's commitment to collaborating with the Ghanaian Government and local partners to ensure the country upholds its human rights obligations and commitments, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Taxes Now Serve as Punishment to Businesses - Mark Badu-Aboagye

-
Image
The Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry's CEO, Mark Badu-Aboagye, has expressed grave concerns about the growing burden of direct and indirect taxes placed on the country's enterprises.  During an open discussion on JoyNews' PM Express, Mr. Badu-Aboagye brought attention to the mounting difficulties that businesses are facing in light of rising expenses and financial commitments, especially with regard to tax responsibilities. Related To This: Akufo-Addo's Imposed Tax Policies Will Make The Next President Suffer - Franklin Cudjoe Mr. Badu-Aboagye expressed his dismay and emphasized the unsettling consequences of the existing tax structure, describing it as harsh and onerous for companies aiming for expansion and sustainability.  He underlined, saying, "I believe that rather than helping businesses, our taxes now serve as a punishment to them. This is because they expect you to pay, but we are unable to. They are beating us but they are telling us to keep quiet.&
Read more

GJA Calls For Media Blacklist on Yendi MP for Allegedly Assaulting Journalist

-
Image
In response to allegations of assault against Mohammed Aminu M. Alabira, the Northern Regional Correspondent for Citi TV, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called for a national media boycott of Farouk Aliu Mahama, the Member of Parliament for Yendi. Important industry actors have endorsed the GJA's directive: the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), and the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA). Related To This: Hawa Koomson Threatens to Sue GJA President Over Assault Allegations The coalition asked all media outlets to uphold Farouk Aliu Mahama's blacklisting till further notice during a joint press conference on Tuesday, February 6. The media professionals were put at serious risk due to the MP's purported connections to those who could potentially pose a threat to journalists. The groups emphasized, "All media houses must refrain from providing any coverage, interviews, or a
Read more

Use Emission Tax Funds to Support EPA - Professor Kofi Amegah

-
Image
The University of Cape Coast's renowned environmental and nutritional epidemiology lecturer, Professor Kofi Amegah, has suggested that money from emission levies be used to support environmental protection organizations.  During his February 1 appearance on The Pulse on JoyNews, Professor Amegah emphasized how vital it is to improve the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) capacity to efficiently track pollution levels and strengthen environmental conservation measures. Related To This: Implementation of Emissions Levy Act Commences Today Professor Amegah emphasized the need to reallocate a portion of the proceeds from the emission tax in order to relieve the EPA's budgetary constraints, given its limited resources. He highlighted that such support would enable the acquisition of reference-based monitors, which, when installed in urban areas, can furnish essential data vital for formulating effective air pollution control policies. Additionally, the resulting data would
Read more