The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), has expressed concern about aspects of the Promotion of Proper Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 popularly known as the Anti-LGBT Bill.

The Anti-LGBT Bill, which has generated significant attention both locally and internationally, aims to restrict the acknowledgment and promotion of any rights of LGBTQI+ individuals or groups.

Commissioner Joseph Whittal, in an interview with JoyNews, expressed reservations about sections of the bill targeting individuals who sympathise with the LGBT community, deeming them unfair.

He suggested that this particular aspect of the bill should be amended before it progresses to law, given that it is currently at the consideration stage in Parliament.

“We have raised very pertinent concerns on the constitutionality of some of the positions and clauses of the bill. Some of our concerns are being addressed but the key ones that relate to freedom of expression, the right not to sympathise with any person that professes that type of orientation and some institutions having to undertake some education on the bill when it becomes law, we think it is quite problematic,” he said.

This, he explained is because his outfit is supposed to “promote and protect the right of all persons.”

He shared the hope that as the consideration stage goes on, their concerns will be addressed.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) says the passage of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values, 2021 is a step in the right direction.

In a press statement addressing the church’s stance on homosexuality and its criminalisation, the GCBC stated that while the church does not condemn homosexuals for being homosexuals, it condemns the homosexual acts that they perform.

It noted that the state taking into consideration the threat these homosexual acts may pose to the nation may as well criminalise the acts of homosexuals in the interest of the nation.

It, however, stated that it is not right to criminalise homosexuals just for being homosexuals.