Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to help support (a) civil society and (b) human rights groups in Ghana in the context of the introduction of the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill.

The UK is disappointed that Ghana's Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill. If enacted, it would further criminalise consensual same-sex relationships and undermine the human rights and freedoms of those perceived as being a member of, or an ally to, the LGBT+ community. The UK routinely encourages Ghana to confirm its opposition to all forms of discrimination and uphold the human rights provisions enshrined in Ghana's Constitution, the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the principles of both the African and Commonwealth Charters. The Foreign Secretary, Ministers and senior officials have expressed these concerns, including during my [Minister Andrew Mitchell] visit to Ghana in February 2024 and my meeting with the Ghanaian High Commissioner to the UK in March. We continue to consider our response in the event that the Bill is granted assent.