US Faith Organizations Pushing for Discriminatory Anti-LGBTQ Legislation in Africa
In recent years, the organizations Family Watch International (FWI) and the World Congress of Families (WCF) have played a significant role in promoting and influencing anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation across Africa. Both organizations have been active in supporting conservative, anti-LGBTQIA+ policies by engaging local actors and fostering legislation that criminalizes or discriminates against LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Historically, these groups have used tactics such as organizing conferences, providing ideological and strategic support to local anti-LGBTQIA+ activists, and leveraging religious and cultural narratives that oppose LGBTQIA+ rights. They frame LGBTQIA+ identities as a threat to traditional family values and national culture, which resonates with some social and political contexts in African countries, including Ghana.
The influence of FWI and WCF has been particularly evident in Ghana, where they have contributed to legislative efforts and public campaigns against LGBTQIA+ people. In 2021, the Ghanaian parliament introduced an anti-queer bill that proposes jail terms for various LGBTQIA+ activities, a bill that has been widely condemned and has increased violence towards members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Ghana.
Resistance to these influences comes from local LGBTQIA+ activists and allied organizations who advocate for human rights and non-discrimination. For example, trans and gender-diverse communities have organized to defend their rights and strive for dignity and inclusion despite the hostile environment enhanced by such international conservative networks. Advocacy includes community organizing, legal challenges, and international solidarity efforts.
Despite calls for the United States government to stifle the funding from these organizations as a way to limit their economic influence, the impact of such sanctions remains complex. Some reports and investigations have linked the activities of conservative groups in the United States and Russia to the rise in anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation on the continent.
Africans across the continent have long taken a fluid and open approach to matters of gender and sexuality, as evidenced by cultures such as Igbo, Yoruba, and Dagaaba. However, nearly a billion people on the continent are either Christians or Muslims, making the work of these conservative groups easier as they can use religious principles in their advocacy.
In summary, the influence of Family Watch International and World Congress of Families has contributed to legislative efforts and public campaigns against LGBTQIA+ people in Ghana and across the continent. Local and international LGBTQIA+ organizations actively resist this influence through advocacy, legal defense, and community empowerment, highlighting resilience amid growing criminalization and violence.
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