By Nadia Ntiamoah
Ghana has officially abstained from a pivotal United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) vote to renew the mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity—a move that reflects the country’s increasingly contentious stance on LGBTQ+ rights.
The vote, held on July 7, 2025, during the 59th session of the UNHRC in Geneva, saw 29 member states vote in favour, 15 vote against, and three countries—including Ghana—abstain.
The mandate was successfully renewed despite the abstentions and opposition, following months of lobbying by over 1,250 non-governmental organizations from 157 countries and territories who advocated for continued international oversight and protection of LGBTQ+ individuals.
The renewed mandate calls on UN member states to respect, protect, and fulfill the rights of persons with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, including by taking action against violence, discrimination, and stigmatization.
Ghana’s decision to withhold support from the vote appears deeply intertwined with domestic political developments, and go against current government advocacy to outlaw same sex.
A vote against it would have shown the government’s commitment to its pre-election position of outlawing same sex through the enactment of a law.
The country is currently witnessing a resurgence of efforts to criminalize LGBTQ+ activities through legislative means.
In May 2025, Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin indicated that lawmakers were set to reintroduce the controversial Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, commonly referred to as the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
The bill, first introduced in 2021 and revised several times following public and international scrutiny, seeks to impose harsher penalties on same-sex relations and criminalize the promotion, advocacy, or funding of LGBTQ+ activities.
Under the proposed law, individuals engaging in same-sex sexual acts could face increased prison terms of up to five years, while those found to be promoting or supporting LGBTQ+ causes could also face custodial sentences.
Supporters of the bill argue that it reflects the cultural, religious, and moral values of the majority of Ghanaians.
Critics, however, including human rights groups and international observers, have condemned the bill as draconian and incompatible with Ghana’s obligations under international human rights law.
The country’s abstention at the UNHRC has already drawn attention from civil society organisations and diplomatic circles.
Human rights advocates view the move as a clear signal of Ghana’s political discomfort with global LGBTQ+ rights frameworks, especially as pressure mounts from both local activists and international partners to either abandon or amend the proposed legislation.
