Ghana: Treatment of homosexuals by society and authorities; names and activities of groups or associations for homosexual rights
| Publisher | Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 8 April 2003 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | GHA39925.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ghana: Treatment of homosexuals by society and authorities; names and activities of groups or associations for homosexual rights, 8 April 2003, GHA39925.E, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4d990.html [accessed 23 May 2013] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
In addition to the sources cited in GHA36100.E of 26 January 2001, sources consulted more recently by the Research Directorate confirm that male homosexuality is illegal in Ghana (Ghanaian Chronicle 25 Feb. 2003; The Eastgarden 27 Apr. 1998; ILGA July 2002), and that Ghanaian society frowns upon homosexuality (Ghanaian Chronicle 25 Feb. 2003).
In February 2003, "as a deterrent to others like him," a 21-year old man was sentenced to15 years of imprisonment by a Cape Coast court for having "'unnatural knowledge'" of a 17-year old man (ibid.). Earlier in 2001, an Accra Circuit Tribunal was reported to have imposed a seven-year prison sentence with hard labour on a 33-year old teacher who had allegedly sodomized a nine-year-old boy (Accra Mail 6 Aug. 2001).
The Eastgarden website states that
Additional and/or corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Accra Mail. 6 August 2001. "Ghana: Homosexual Teacher Gets 7 Years." The Eastgarden. 27 April 1998. "Ghana: Information on the Situation for Homosexuals in Ghana." The Ghanaian Chronicle. 25 February 2003. "Ghana: Sodomist Jailed 15 Years." (Africa News/NEXIS)
International Lesbian and Gays Association (ILGA).21 July 2002. "World Legal Survey: Ghana." Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Confidential
Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series
Country Reports
IRB Databases
Keesing's Record of World Events
NEXIS
Resource Centre. Country File. Ghana.
Internet sites, including:
All Africa.com
AfricaOnline
International Lesbian and Gay Association
Search engines, including:
Google
