Parliament of Ghana has, for the second time, passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, widely known as the anti-LGBTQ bill.
The bill was approved on Friday, May 29, 2026, after lawmakers considered amendments to the proposed legislation. The legislation seeks to criminalise LGBTQ-related activities in Ghana while introducing exemptions for certain individuals and professional groups.
Under the amended provisions, lawyers who offer legal representation or advice to persons identified as LGBTQ will not face punishment under the law.
Journalists and media organisations reporting on LGBTQ related matters in the course of their professional duties have also been exempted.
Medical professionals, including doctors, psychologists, and counsellors providing healthcare or counselling services to LGBTQ persons, will equally not be sanctioned under the legislation.
The bill was first passed by Parliament in February 2024 during the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
However, assent to the bill was suspended pending the outcome of a case before the Supreme Court, and it was not signed into law before the end of the parliamentary term.
Before the latest passage, the Minority Caucus opposed the new amendments, arguing that they suggested flaws existed in the earlier version presented to the former president. Despite the objections, Parliament proceeded to approve the revised bill.
The legislation will now be forwarded to President John Dramani Mahama for assent.
