Thirty-eight (38) of fifty-three (53) African nations still adopt colonial-era laws that criminalize LGBT persons, thereby imposing varying degrees of legislative restrictions on the fulfillment of the human rights of individuals.
Furthermore, stigmatisation has made public health interventions, particularly with respect to HIV prevention and treatment, difficult to implement effectively.
Amnesty International reports that homophobia is reaching very high levels in some conservative countries, yet biological, psychological, and public health evidence clearly argues that human rights need to come to the fore in any discussion relating to sexuality.
Lawmakers treat LGBTQ+ citizens not as constituents to be considered, but automatically as threats to the “natural functioning” of communities, upholding colonial-era laws used to control and subjugate African people.
This Pride Month the Royal African Society is committed to supporting the LGBTQ+ community on the continent and across the diaspora to ensure their safety, prosperity, and liberation.
LGBT+ Rights Ghana was formed on July 13, 2018, initially as a Cyber Activism Blog – a platform that uses social media to create awareness of LGBT issues in Ghana and the world.
Due to the immense swell of support they have received, they have increased their capacity to initiate a movement in the interest of LGBT persons living in Ghana. The initial plan was to empower the LGBT+ community in Ghana to be change-makers through the creation of a:
Facebook Group/Page
Instagram Account
Twitter Account
YouTube Channel
WhatsApp Group
Since 2018 they have produced an annual report which is a reflection of the work and progress of their organisation and the LGBT+ community in Ghana. It also details the challenges faced by the organisation and the LGBT+ community in relation to the heightened queerphobia in Ghana in the past year. Read the full report HERE
Through generous donations, they have built Ghana’s first LGBT+ center amidst the challenges they have faced from legislation and religious fundamentalists who seek to deny their human rights. They are more than just a support group, the center severs as a temporary shelter, gives access to health support and information, and is the first LGBT+ library in Ghana
