Ghana’s Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Household Values Invoice on 28 February 2024. It criminalizes LGBTQ relationships, in addition to individuals who assist LGBTQ rights.
Namibia’s decrease home of Parliament not too long ago handed a invoice that bans same-sex marriages. And in Kenya, a invoice earlier than Parliament seeks to ban homosexual relationships, same-sex unions and LGBTQ actions and campaigns. In all cases, the payments suggest harsh jail sentences and hefty fines.
“If these payments grow to be legal guidelines, they may set again the substantial features made in direction of ending the HIV pandemic as a risk to public well being and particular person well-being,” IAS President Sharon Lewin mentioned. “That is the time for governments to be stepping up efforts to advance the HIV response, not push our efforts backwards. There may be an pressing want for the governments of those nations to work with, not towards, communities most weak to HIV.”
In Africa, 33 of 55 countries punish homosexual relationships with imprisonment. In 2023 alone, six nations (Kenya, Ghana, Namibia, Niger, Tanzania and Uganda) took steps to tighten anti-gay legal guidelines, the most important variety of nations pushing for these legal guidelines in recent times.
On the identical time some nations are pulling in the opposite direction. Seychelles, Lesotho, Botswana, Gabon and Angola have decriminalized same-sex relationships. Cabo Verde is contemplating an anti-discrimination regulation. And other people persecuted primarily based on their sexuality can nonetheless search asylum in South Africa.
The IAS lauds the African nations which are taking steps to guard homosexual rights and, by doing so, defend progress within the HIV response.
We name on the Presidents of Ghana, Namibia and Kenya to face towards these discriminatory payments. On the IAS, we urge you to place folks first and comply with the science: criminalizing any inhabitants fuels the HIV pandemic by excluding folks from testing, remedy and care.
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