The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a detailed explanation of Ghana’s recent abstention at the 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, countering media reports that wrongly portrayed the move as a direct vote on LGBTQI rights.
Contrary to widespread headlines, Ghana did not oppose or support LGBTQI issues per se. Instead, the delegation abstained from a procedural resolution to renew the mandate of the Independent Expert on Protection Against Violence and Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI). The vote concerned whether the expert should continue reporting annually to the Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.
“Ghana’s abstention aligns with Article 17 of our 1992 Constitution, which prohibits discrimination based on gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed, or social and economic status,” the Ministry clarified. The statement stressed that the country’s decision was rooted in protecting constitutional consistency rather than reflecting any broader position on LGBTQI communities.
At HRC59, Ghana’s Permanent Representative underscored the nation’s “traditional definition” of gender as strictly male or female, while emphasizing that the abstention did not equate to endorsing or rejecting policies on sexual orientation or gender identity.
By setting the record straight, the Foreign Affairs Ministry aims to underscore the distinction between procedural votes at the UN and substantive policy positions at home, reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to non-discrimination without compromising its constitutional interpretation of gender.
