In Ghana, human rights groups warn a new law criminalizing LGBTQ+ activity could devastate queer communities. The sweeping legislation approved on Friday makes it a crime to identify as nonbinary, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, trans or intersex. It also imposes prison terms of up to 10 years on anyone who “promotes” LGBTQ+ activities. It’s expected to be signed into law by Ghana’s President John Mahama. This follows similar legislation recently passed in other African nations, including Senegal and Burkina Faso. In 2023, Uganda passed a law making it a crime to identify as queer; declaring all same-sex conduct to be nonconsensual, and even allowing for the death penalty in certain cases. Critics have called it a “kill the gays bill.” This is Ugandan LGBTQ activist Hans Senfuma.

Hans Senfuma: “At first, it was Uganda with the harshest 'kill gay bill' in the whole world, that contains a death penalty and a life imprisonment. Apparently, we are seeing Ghana jumping onto this same running track. And all African leaders are quiet in whatever is happening.”