Persons who form, sponsor, promote LGBTQ+ activities to spend ten years in jail

The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 has proposed several extreme sanctions against activities of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Transexual, Ally, Pansexual+.

The Bill which is yet to be passed will provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values, proscribe LGBTQ+ and related activities, proscribe propaganda of, advocacy for, or promotion of LGBTQ+ activities.

It is also aimed at protecting children, persons who are victims or accused of LGBTTQQIAAP+ and related activities and other persons and related matters.

The 36-page bill has proposed several actions including the prohibition of propaganda of, promotion of, and advocacy for activities directed at a child.

The bill is proposing that a person who through media, technological account, or any other means produces, procures, markets, broadcasts, disseminates, publishes or distributor uses an electronic device, the internet service, a film, or any other device capable of electronic storage or transmission to produce, procure, market, broadcast, disseminate, publish or distribute material or information directed at a child whether directly or indirectly with intent to evoke the interest of the child in an activity prohibited under the Act or teach the child to explore any gender or sex other than the binary category of male or female commits an offenceee.

Such an individual is liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than six years and not more than ten tears.

Also, the owner of the media, technological platform, or technological account on which the material or information is circulated is deemed to have committed an offence unless it is proven that the owner did not consent to, or connive at the commission of the offence and exercised the degree of reasonable diligence as ought in the circumstances to have been exercised to prevent the commission of the offence.

The media according to the bill will include radio, television, newspaper, and the owner means the legal owner or operator of the media.

Section 14 of the bill is proposing the prohibition of funding or sponsorship for LGBTQ+ activities.

Therefore, a person who funds or sponsors an activity prohibited under the Act commits an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than ten years.

Aside from these, the Bill is also proposing the disbandment of all LGBTQ+ groups, societies, associations, clubs, and organizations.

All groups in existence before the Bill came into existence and are intended to promote such activities are to be disbanded.

Persons are also not allowed to form, organise, operate, or register, promote the formation, organization, operation, or registration it participates in an activity to support or sustain LGBTQ activities.

Persons who contravene this provision could face up to not less than six years or not more than ten years imprisonment.

Adoption for LGBTQ+ persons are also prohibited in the bill.