The Alliance for Equality and Diversity (AfED) is alarmed by the continuous spewing of hate speech and homophobic actions by Mr. Moses Foh-Amoaning, the Executive Secretary of National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values (NCPHSRFV). His statements against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer+ (LGBTIQ+) community in Ghana have the potential to incite unbridled violence against an already marginalized group in the country.
On 31st January, 2021, LGBT+ Rights Ghana, opened its new office and held a fundraising event in Accra which in no way flouted any law in Ghana. Mr. Foh-Amoaning and his group has called for the closure of the said office through his pronouncements on various radio stations without presenting any legally substantiated argument and has called for a baseless investigation of the said movement. He continues to peddle the dangerous notion that the constitution of Ghana does not include the protection of the human rights of the LGBTIQ+ community, thereby, sowing misinformation.
This is not the first time Mr. Moses Foh-Amoaning has made such harmful, discriminatory and unfounded statements including mentioning names and giving physical directions to the said office space.
In October, 2019, Mr. Moses Foh-Amoaning and his NCPHSRFV hosted the African Regional Conference of the World Congress of Families. There, Mr. Foh-Amoaning and other religious and traditional leaders fomented homophobia, promoted the harmful practice of conversion therapy and associated LGBTIQ+ people with illness, poverty and crime. They propagated conspiracy theories linking sexual health advocacy and services to the depopulation of Africa. According to this perspective, the Ministry of Education’s guidelines on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) spell the end of Ghanaian society and is orchestrated by LGBTIQ+ people (though in reality, the LGBTIQ+ community was not consulted in its production).
AfED believes that all persons are entitled to the fundamental human rights enshrined in the constitution of Ghana. Article 12(2) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution states that:
“Every person in Ghana, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, religion, creed or gender shall be entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual contained in this Chapter…”
Article 17(1)(2)(3) of the constitution discourages all forms of discrimination against any human being. Ghana is a state party to a number of international human rights treaties that require Ghana to protect, respect and fulfil the fundamental human rights of all persons. Resolution 275 of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights calls on all member states of the African Union to “apply appropriate laws prohibiting and punishing all forms of violence including those targeting persons on the basis of their imputed or real sexual orientation or gender identities, ensuring proper investigation and diligent prosecution of perpetrators, and establishing judicial procedures responsive to the needs of victims.”
Ghana at the 28th Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2017 agreed to protect LGBTIQ+ people from ALL forms of violence and also investigate all crimes against them. Therefore, it is in direct contrast to the aforementioned agreement in Geneva as well as Ghana’s constitution when Mr. Foh-Amoaning claims that LGBTIQ+ persons in Ghana are not covered by Ghana’s human rights laws. Ghana prides itself on being a country that follows the rule of law; what Mr. FohAmoaning is calling for is the rule of whim, based on his prejudicial opinions and religious dogmas.
AfED calls on Mr. Moses Foh-Amoaning, his organisation and supporters both local and international, to desist from making unresearched, unsupported and potentially inciteful statements about the LGBTIQ+ community and the laws of Ghana concerning the LGBTIQ+ community. We encourage them to promote strong family values that nurtures, grows and protect ALL Ghanaians irrespective of race, sex/gender, class, sexual orientation, religion and disability.
As espoused in article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
We encourage all manner of persons who approach, speak or act towards the LGBTIQ+ community in Ghana to do so in a way that is in keeping with article 1 of the Universal Declaration.
Alliance for Equality and Diversity (AfED).
+233 55 313 3577
*The Alliance for Equality and Diversity (AfED), is an LGBTIQ+ led National Coalition, which has an array of competent individuals, member organizations and professional allies, poised to work as change agents and advocates for the protection and promotion of fundamental human rights of LGBT+ people and other minorities groups in Ghana.