Ghana’s Parliament has passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, reviving legislation that has sparked intense debate both within the country and internationally.
The bill, widely referred to as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, was approved recently following its third reading on the floor of Parliament.
According to local media reports, lawmakers introduced amendments to the legislation before its passage, providing exemptions for certain professional groups. The exemptions reportedly apply to legal practitioners, media professionals, and healthcare workers who offer services to individuals identified as LGBTQ+.
During the parliamentary proceedings, presided over by First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor, the bill was read for the third time and subsequently passed by lawmakers.
Supporters of the legislation say it is aimed at safeguarding Ghanaian family values, cultural traditions, and social norms. The bill has, however, remained one of the most contentious pieces of legislation in the country, drawing reactions from human rights organisations, foreign governments, and advocacy groups.
The latest development comes more than a year after Ghana’s 8th Parliament unanimously approved the bill on February 28, 2024, and forwarded it to then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for assent.
Despite parliamentary approval, the legislation was never signed into law before the expiration of the tenure of both President Akufo-Addo and the 8th Parliament on January 6, 2025. As a result, the bill lapsed and had to be reintroduced in the current Parliament.
With its passage by lawmakers once again, the bill is expected to proceed through the remaining constitutional and legal procedures required before it can receive presidential assent and become law.
