I consider LGBTQ matters as human rights issues, says Kamala Harris

US Vice-President Kamala Harris has declared her stance on LGBTQ issues when she addressed a joint press conference with Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo in Accra on Monday (27 March).

Speaking at the Jubilee House, the 49th US vice president said she considers matters pertaining to LGBTQ as “issues of human rights.”

“I feel very strongly about the importance of supporting freedom and supporting and fighting for equality among all people.

“Let me be clear where we stand, you know a great deal of work in my career has been towards human rights issues, equality issues, as related to the LGBTQ community,” Harris said.

Ghana’s parliament is currently considering an anti-gay bill seeking to criminalise homosexuality.

For his part, Akufo-Addo said the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill currently before Parliament will meet the aspirations of all when it is passed into law.

Background

Known as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, the anti-gay bill was read for the first time in Parliament on 3 August 2021. It has since been referred to the committee on constitutional, legal and parliamentary affairs for consideration and report.

The 36-page private member’s bill aims to provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values by proscribing LGBTQ+ and related activities, as well as propaganda for, advocacy or promotion of LGBTTQQIAAP+ and related activities.

It will prohibit individuals from providing or participating in any form of surgical services to enable gender reassignment or create a sexual category other than the category a person was assigned at birth, except where the surgical procedure is to correct a biological anomaly, including intersex.

Those who contravene or undermine this provision are liable, on summary conviction, to a fine of no less than GHC9,000 and no more than GHC60,000, or a term of imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than five years, or both.

Moreover, the bill proscribes promotion and advocacy activities directed at children. Thus, anyone who uses the media and other electronic channels to produce, procure, market, broadcast, publish or distribute material or information directly or indirectly directed at a child, with intent to evoke the interest of children in an activity, could face a jail term of not less than six years and not more than ten.

The bill seeks besides to provide accused individuals with access to medical help or treatment, and to prohibit extrajudicial or inhumane treatment of people accused of offences under the bill.

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