[REVISION HISTORY]

West Africa anti‑LGBTQ legislative wave

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2026-08-04 23:05 UTC → 2026-08-24 11:20 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In early August, several West African states intensified legal restrictions on LGBTQ people. Senegal raised the maximum prison term for gay sex to ten years and banned any “promotion” of homosexuality. Niger introduced its first criminalisation of same‑sex relations, while Mali and Burkina Faso, under military juntas, enacted new prohibitions. Ghana also moved forward, passing a bill that criminalises LGBTQ activities, though it had not yet been signed by the president. Two days later, Ghana’s parliament adjourned without revisiting the anti‑LGBTQ bill, despite earlier assurances that it would be reconsidered. The session instead focused on unrelated legislation covering cocoa pricing, excise taxes, customs reform, and other policy areas. The bill’s delay highlights a broader regional trend of tightening anti‑LGBTQ measures, even as individual legislative processes encounter setbacks. As Ghana prepares to implement the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Law, the legislation expands prohibitions to include identifying as LGBTQIA+ and criminalises advocacy. It also introduces penalties for failing to report such activities, though journalists, legal, and medical professionals are exempt. This legislative push has met domestic opposition. Archbishop Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith, leader of the Anglican Church in Ghana, argued that while the church holds traditional views, homosexuality should not be a criminal offense because LGBTQIA+ people are “all children of God”. Additionally, broadcaster Kwasi Kyei Darkwah has publicly voiced support for his transgender and non-binary child, urging public respect amidst the controversy.

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