Parliament has passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, widely referred to as the anti-gay bill, after years of heated national debate and parliamentary deliberations.

The legislation seeks to criminalise LGBTQ activities in Ghana but includes new amendments that exempt certain individuals and institutions from sanctions under the law.

Under the revised provisions, lawyers who provide legal advice or representation to persons identified as LGBTQ will not face punishment. Journalists and media organisations reporting on LGBTQ-related issues or current affairs in the course of their professional duties are also exempted.

Additionally, medical professionals, including doctors, psychologists, counsellors, and surgeons offering healthcare or counselling services to LGBTQ persons, will not be penalised under the legislation.

The bill’s passage marks the culmination of a long and controversial legislative process that began nearly five years ago.

The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill was first introduced to Parliament in June 2021 by eight Members of Parliament led by Samuel Nartey George, MP for Ningo-Prampram. On August 2, 2021, the bill received its First Reading and was subsequently referred to Parliament’s Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee for review.

Between November 2021 and March 2023, Parliament conducted 15 weeks of public hearings on the proposed legislation. The committee received submissions from religious leaders, traditional authorities, legal experts, civil society organisations, and human rights advocates.

On July 5, 2023, Parliament unanimously approved the bill’s Second Reading, with all 275 MPs supporting it. The Third Reading was later passed unanimously on February 28, 2024, after which the bill was forwarded to then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for assent.

However, the bill remained unsigned throughout 2024 and eventually expired in January 2025 following the dissolution of the 8th Parliament ahead of the general elections.

In March 2025, the bill was reintroduced by 10 Members of Parliament, including Samuel Nartey George and Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah. On February 9, 2026, Speaker Alban Bagbin directed the Business Committee to schedule the bill for consideration in the 9th Parliament.

On May 28, 2026, the bill was presented once again for its Second Reading, paving the way for its eventual passage by Parliament.

The bill emerged amid heightened national debate over LGBTQ rights in Ghana following the opening of the country’s first LGBTQ community centre in 2021. This event triggered widespread backlash from religious groups, traditional leaders, and conservative organisations.

Supporters of the legislation argued that it was necessary to protect Ghanaian culture, family values, and religious beliefs. Major religious bodies, including the Christian Council of Ghana, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, and several Muslim organisations, publicly backed the bill.

Traditional leaders also mounted pressure on lawmakers to pass the legislation, with some chiefs threatening mass protests if Parliament failed to act.