[ad_1]
The World Bank and International Monetary Fund are under pressure to use their financial clout to persuade Ghana to review a proposed law that could make anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+ in prison for three years.
Charities and campaign groups are calling on global development bodies to say Ghana they could freeze funding to the country if the proposed legislation – which will be challenged in the country’s highest court next week – goes into effect.
The bill to “promote proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values” recommends jailing anyone convicted of identifying as gay for up to three years, jailing gay rights “promoters” for up to five years, and increasing the term of having gay sex for three to five years.
Elana Berger, executive director of the Banking Information Centre, a charity campaigning for better transparency, accountability and inclusion in development finance, said The World Bank was in the unique position of “convincing Ghana to rethink” at the prospect of losing the promised $3.8bn (£3bn) of funding.
“We believe that everything the World Bank does should be moral, fair and inclusive,” she said. “Funding the state with this law will lead to discrimination against LGBTQ+ people. We are not against the World Bank, but it can do a lot more to improve the inclusion of its projects.”
She said Ghana’s parliament’s vote to pass the bill in February despite the threat of losing World Bank funding suggests “the desire to harm LGBTQ+ people outweighs the desire to develop the economy.”
Ghana’s finance ministry has warned that if the law goes into effect, it could cost the country $3.8 billion in World Bank funding over the next five to six years.
Losing that funding, the ministry said, could “derail” a $3 billion bailout program from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and its efforts to restructure its $20 billion debt. “This, in turn, will trigger a market reaction that will affect the stability of the exchange rate,” the ministry said in a leaked memo.
The World Bank last year suspended some funding to Uganda because of the country newly enacted anti-LGBTQ legislationwhich includes the death penalty or life imprisonment for some same-sex acts, saying it “fundamentally contradicts the values of the World Bank Group”.
“We believe that our vision of ending poverty on a livable planet can only succeed if it includes everyone, regardless of race, gender or sexuality.” said the bank. “This law undermines those efforts.”
Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAids, said evidence shows that criminal laws like Ghana’s are “an obstacle to ending AIDS and ultimately undermine everyone’s health.”
She added: “Approaches rooted in the inclusion of all people are critical to Ghana’s progress in the HIV response … if this bill becomes law, it will impede access to life-saving services, undermine social protection and threaten the success of the development of Ghana.’
Genevieve Partington, Amnesty International’s Ghana director, said: “The bill is one of the most draconian in Africa and seeks to further criminalize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
after the promotion of the newsletter
“It also seeks to imprison anyone who supports or advocates for LGBT people, including human rights defenders, medical professionals, journalists, teachers and employers in violation of the right to freedom of expression and association.”
A World Bank spokesman said: “The bill has not yet been signed into law and we do not normally comment on draft legislation. We have a long-standing and productive relationship with Ghana.”
An IMF spokesman said: “We have learned from extensive experience that more inclusive development is more successful development. In this case, we recognize that this bill is being challenged in the courts; it is important to let this process play out.
During a visit to Ghana earlier this year, Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, said: “At this stage, what we know is that the citizens of Ghana have challenged the constitutionality [of the law]. I will not comment on the details of the bill. Let’s see what the court will say.
The Supreme Court adjourned its hearing on the proposed law to May 17.
[ad_2]
