What’s life like for LGBTQ people in Ghana? Let’s take a look at some of the key equality indicators.

Is homosexuality legal in Ghana?

Gay sex has been illegal in Ghana since the 1860s. The penalty is imprisonment for up to three years.

Are there anti-discrimination protections in place for LGBTQ people in Ghana?

There’s no anti-discrimination framework in place to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination based on their sexuality.

Is there Marriage Equality in Ghana?

There’s no legal recognition of same-sex relationships.

What’s life like for LGBTQ people in Ghana?

Most of the anti-LGBTQ rhetoric in Ghana comes from Christian groups who say homosexuality is a sin. There is also a belief that the promotion of homosexuality is part of a Western agenda to spread European and US values in Africa.

LGBTQ people in Ghana face frequent abuse and discrimination, including blackmail, extortion, and violent attacks.

What’s the history of homosexuality in Ghana?

In the 18th and 19th century Asante courts, male slaves served as concubines.

The Nzema people had a tradition of adult men marrying each other, usually with a 10-year age difference. These marriage were called agyale – friendship marriages. The couple would obverse all the social equivalents of a heterosexual marriage, a bride price was paid and a traditional wedding ceremony was held.