Ghana’s parliament has held its first public hearing regarding its proposed archaic anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
On Wednesday (10 November), officials gathered to discuss the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021.
The bill, which has been condemned by numerous LGBTQ+ rights groups, was first leaked in July.
Under the proposed legislation, it states that “any person who deviates from an arbitrary standard of sexual orientation or gender identity is immediately to be considered dangerous, sick or anti-social.”
If the controversial law passes, LGBTQ+ people or individuals who “hold out” for the queer community can face five to ten-year prison sentences.
Medical care for trans people will also be at risk due to the law criminalising anyone giving care to individuals undergoing gender-affirming treatment.
The hearing was filled with people who opposed the terrifying bill and those who supported it.
Professor Henry Kwasi Prempheh, who serves as the executive director of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development, called out the bill for its lack of democracy.
“The proponents of the bill have sought to make much of the fact that this is a democracy and therefore the will of the majority must prevail. And prevail including in legislation,” he said.
“May I remind the proponents of this bill that this democracy for which we’ve all fought to maintain, is not a populist democracy, it is not just a majoritarian democracy, it is a constitutional democracy which means that even the majority including, acts that are passed by parliament, are subject to constitutional limitations.”
Prempheh went on to say that even though the bill has received support from the “momentary majority” it doesn’t give grounds for it to be passed.
“The constitution’s provisions on fundamental human rights are indeed one of such safeguards,” he said”
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