Anti-LGBTQ+ laws are on the rise across west Africa, campaigners warn
Summary
Several West African countries have recently introduced or strengthened laws against LGBTQ+ people, including harsher penalties for same-sex activities. These changes are influenced by local politics, religious groups, and some international campaigns that oppose LGBTQ+ rights.Key Facts
- Senegal increased the prison sentence for gay sex to 10 years and banned promoting homosexuality.
- Niger criminalized same-sex sexual relations for the first time in February.
- Mali and Burkina Faso also made same-sex relations illegal in the past two years; both are ruled by military governments.
- Ghana passed a law criminalizing LGBTQ+ activities, though the president has not yet signed it.
- Activists say these laws are supported by religious groups and are used by governments to gain political power.
- Burkina Faso’s military government uses anti-LGBTQ+ laws as part of an anti-Western political message.
- LGBTQ+ people in these countries face arrests, violence, and police traps, especially online.
- International conservative Christian groups help support and fund anti-LGBTQ+ campaigns in Africa.
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