African Lawmakers from 18 Countries Back Anti-LGBT Charter After Ghana Conference
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Jun 19
African Lawmakers from 18 Countries Back Anti-LGBT Charter After Ghana Conference
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jun 19
Summary
Lawmakers from more than a dozen African countries said they would return home to pursue new anti-LGBT bills after a June 3-6 conference in Accra, held days after Ghana's parliament passed a tough anti-LGBT measure.
Eighteen of 20 represented countries approved a 32-page African Charter on Family, Sovereignty and Values urging governments to enact national laws and reconsider U.N. or donor-linked agreements seen as promoting LGBT rights.
Participants and organisers said the push drew momentum from U.S. and European conservative networks, with some attendees explicitly welcoming Donald Trump's return because his administration does not promote LGBT rights abroad.
The gathering adds to a wider tightening across Africa, where more than half of 54 countries already criminalise same-sex acts and countries including Uganda and Senegal have also moved against LGBT "promotion."
In Ghana, President John Dramani Mahama has not yet signed the bill, while civil society groups and health officials warn such laws deepen fear, drive LGBT people underground and can disrupt HIV treatment access.
How might the African Charter on Family, Sovereignty and Values reshape LGBT rights and public health across the continent in the coming years?
What role do foreign advocacy groups play in influencing African legislative trends on sexuality and family, and how are local communities responding?
With rising anti-LGBT laws, what strategies remain for affected individuals to access healthcare and support without risking prosecution?
Ghana’s 2025 Anti-LGBTQ+ Law and the African Charter: Regional Trends, Motivations, and Global Repercussions
Overview
In late May to early June 2026, Ghana’s Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, which changed the legal status of certain marriages from 'unenforceable' to 'not recognised.' This shift has major legal consequences, directly denying recognition to same-sex unions and sparking intense debate over human rights and family law. At the same time, a coalition of conservative African parliamentarians and organizations is pushing for the African Charter on Family Values and Sovereignty, which excludes same-sex families. LGBTQ+ advocacy groups warn that these moves could reshape family law and human rights protections across Africa.