Rights Groups Warn Proposed African ‘Family Values’ Charter Threatens Women and LGBTQ Rights
452 Mins Read
A proposed African charter on family values, sovereignty and culture is facing growing criticism from human rights organizations, legal experts and advocacy groups, who say it could undermine protections for women, children and LGBTQ people across the continent.
The draft charter, discussed during an inter-parliamentary conference in Accra, Ghana, argues that African values are under threat from what it describes as foreign ideologies. It calls on African states to withdraw from agreements that do not align with its principles, including the Maputo Protocol, which promotes gender equality and protects the reproductive and health rights of women and girls.
The document rejects comprehensive sex education, states that gender is limited to male and female, and places parental authority above certain rights of children. It also characterizes sexual and reproductive health and rights as a threat to the African family.
Critics describe the proposal as regressive and dangerous, arguing that it could weaken existing commitments on reproductive rights and LGBTQ protections across Africa. They also contend that the charter’s definition of family, centered on heterosexual marriage, fails to reflect the diversity of family structures across the continent.
The charter was drafted by a group of African lawmakers led by Ugandan officials and was promoted at the African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family Values and Sovereignty, attended by representatives from about 20 countries. Supporters hope to secure sufficient backing for the proposal to be submitted to the African Union for consideration next year.
The debate comes amid broader disputes over LGBTQ rights in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa. Ghana’s parliament last week approved legislation that would criminalize the promotion and support of LGBTQ activities, a move that has also drawn condemnation from international rights groups.
