African Lawmakers Push Bills Restricting LGBT Rights

By Enemona Samuel Endurance

Lawmakers Move for New Anti-LGBT Legislation

Lawmakers from more than a dozen African countries have pledged to introduce new bills restricting LGBT rights following a recent conference held in Ghana.

The commitment followed the African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family Values and Sovereignty, which brought together self-described pro-family activists from across Africa and Europe in Accra from June 3 to June 6 The Bureau Journal reports.

Ghana Conference and Policy Direction

The conference took place days after Ghana’s parliament passed one of the continent’s strictest anti-LGBT measures, a bill criminalising LGBT promotion.

Participants at the gathering said the event reflected a broader shift toward more restrictive laws targeting LGBT communities across parts of Africa, with some attributing the momentum to conservative political influence from the United States and Europe.

Political Context and International Influence

Some attendees claimed the policy environment has shifted further since Donald Trump returned to the White House, noting changes in international advocacy priorities on LGBT rights.

Speakers at the conference urged lawmakers to translate discussions into legislative action, budget allocations, and oversight mechanisms upon returning to their respective countries.

“When you return to your respective capitals, let the resolutions we adopt here not gather dust in the archives of our secretariats. Let them be translated into active bills, robust budgetary allocations, and rigorous oversight,” said Ghana Parliament Speaker Alban Bagbin.

He added: “Go home and tell your people that their representatives have resolved to protect the sanctuaries of their homes, the heritage of their ancestors, and the sovereignty of their nations.”

Regional Legal Trends

More than half of Africa’s 54 countries already criminalise same-sex sexual acts, according to regional legal data.

Several countries, including Uganda and Senegal, have recently expanded restrictions by adopting laws that criminalise LGBT promotion, following similar legislative moves in Ghana.