Ghana Ghana is a West-African parliamentary democracy with a multi-party political system that is largely dominated by two parties — the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Ghana gained independence from Britain in 1957.[ref]https://www.cia.gov/the-world- factbook/countries/ghana/#government[/ref] According to the latest census data (collected in 2010), approximately 71% of the population is Christian (residing throughout the country), 18% Muslim (mostly residing in the northern regions), 5% adheres to indigenous or animistic religious beliefs (mostly residing in rural areas), and 6% belongs to other religious groups or has no religious beliefs.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious-fr eedom/ghana/[/ref] Ghana has a reputation as one of the most democratic countries in Africa. Generally speaking, civil society organizations can operate freely, with the exception of LGBTI+ activists and organizations, who are frequently harassed and intimidated. Constitution and Education and Family, Freedom of government children’s rights community, expression society, religious advocacy of courts and humanist values tribunals Constitution and Education and Family, Freedom of government children’s rights community, expression society, religious advocacy of courts and humanist values tribunals Religious or Systemic religious ideological privilege results in instruction is significant social mandatory in all discrimination or most state- funded schools with no secular or humanist alternative There is There is state There is systematic funding of at least significant social religious privilege some religious marginalisation of Preferential schools the non-religious treatment is given or stigma to a religion or associated with religion in general expressing There is a atheism, religious tax or humanism or tithing which is secularism compulsory, or which is state- administered and discriminates by precluding non- religious groups Constitution and Education and Family, Freedom of government children’s rights community, expression society, religious advocacy of courts and humanist values tribunals Anomalous Some concerns discrimination by about political or local or provincial media freedoms, authorities, or not specific to the overseas non-religious territories Concerns that secular or religious authorities interfere in specifically religious freedoms No religious tribunals of concern, secular groups operate freely, individuals are not persecuted by the state Legend Constitution and government Article 21(1) of the Constitution “freedom of thought, conscience and belief and the “freedom to practice any religion and to manifest such practice”. Article 17 prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion.[ref]https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/gh/gh014en.pdf[/ref] The Constitution does not designate a State religion. To receive formal recognition and status as a legal entity by the government, religious groups must register with the office of the registrar general in the justice ministry. Notwithstanding this provision, there is no penalty for failing to register.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious- freedom/ghana/[/ref] Most indigenous religious groups in Ghana do not register. Registered churches are exempt from paying taxes on non-profit religious, charitable, and educational activities, but must pay taxes on income attributed to for-profit business activities, such as church-run private schools and universities.[ref]https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/religious-bodies- agree-with-govt-to-pay-taxes.html[/ref] While Ghana is a secular State, there is a perception that religion and religious leaders have political influence. In 2017, the government approved a controversial plan to construct a National Cathedral, which will occupy 14 acres of State land and will be situated next to the Parliament building.[ref]https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/religionglobalsociety/2019/01/the-politics-of-a- national-cathedral-in-ghana-a-symbol-of-a-corrupted-government-or-reaching- wakanda/[/ref] The government’s position is that the National Cathedral will serve as a symbol of Ghana’s future and its supporters have argued that it will be a space where “religion, democracy and local tradition are seamlessly and symbolically intertwined”.[ref]https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/14/opinion/sunday/ghana-des erves-this-cathedral-dont-fight-it.html[/ref] Critics of the project have questioned whether it is an appropriate use of public funds, and have argued that it symbolizes a worrying inter-mingling of politics and religion in an avowedly secular State with a population of mixed religions and beliefs.[ref]https://www.globalconstructionreview.com/news/site-work-begins-gha nas-controversial-national-cat/[/ref] The State also pays for Muslims to attend the Hajj, and has a National Hajj Board to oversee the process.[ref]https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/National- Hajj-Board-touts-2018-achievements-713050[/ref] In 2019, a constitutional challenge against the construction of the National Cathedral and the setting up of the Hajj board was brought by a local politician, James Bomfeh, who argued that both measures are a violation of the secular character of Ghana’s Constitution and the duty of the State to respect equality and uphold religious neutrality. Bomfeh’s case was dismissed by the Supreme Court, who found that the Constitution did not specifically prohibit the Government from “supporting, assisting or cooperating with religious groups.” Instead, the Supreme Court argued that the letter and spirit of the Constitution only forbid the State from “hindering freedom of worship, religion and belief in the country and discrimination on grounds of religion.”[ref]https://ghanalawhub.com/a-secular-state-and-the-national- cathedral/; https://africanlii.org/article/20190207/secularism-ghana-%E2%80%9Cobviously% E2%80%9D-encourages-state-accommodation-religion-and-religious [/ref] Education and children’s rights In Ghana’s national public education curriculum, religious and moral education is a mandatory requirement. These courses embody perspectives from both Islam and Christianity. In 1987, the government set up an Islamic Education Unit within the Ministry of Education, which is responsible for the integration of a standardized secular curriculum in traditional Islamic schools.[ref]https://etd.ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws_etd/send_file/send?accession=o hiou1493120256728132&disposition=inline[/ref] Despite the government directive requiring schools to respect students’ religious practices, members of the Muslim community report that some publicly-funded Christian schools require students to participate in Christian worship services and for female Muslim students to remove their hijabs.[ref]news.wypr.org/post/prayer- ghana-s-public-schools-sparks-debate; http://jiscnet.com/journals/jisc/Vol_4_No_2_December_2016/1.pdf[/ref] In 2019, the National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values (comprising the Christian council, traditional leaders, the Catholic Bishops Conference, Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Atta Mills Institute, Coalition of Muslim Organisations and others) blocked proposals to introduce comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in Ghanaian schools, arguing that this would indoctrinate children with the “LGBTI+ agenda”.[ref]https://allafrica.com/stories/201910110414.html[/ref] Family, community and society Treatment of humanists Humanists and atheists in Ghana are a small minority. Many atheists in Ghana are afraid to openly express their beliefs due to fear of persecution. However, the profile of humanism is slowly growing thanks to the work of a group of outspoken atheists, freethinkers and sceptics who form the Humanists Association of Ghana. In 2012, the group organized Ghana’s first ever humanist conference, which brought together humanists from around the world to concentrate on issues relevant to the advancement of humanism in the country.[ref]https://humanists.international/2012/12/international-conference-wes t-african-humanism-in-action-accra-ghana-23-25-november-2012/[/ref] A second conference was organized in 2014 on the theme of “African Youth for Science and Reason”.[ref]https://www.modernghana.com/news/585317/humanist-fellowship-in- ghana.html[/ref] LGBTI+ rights Section 104 of Ghana’s Criminal Code (1960) criminalizes consensual “unnatural carnal conduct”, a clause which is interpreted by law enforcement to mean same- sex relations. The provision is used to threaten, arrest and punish LGBTI+ individuals, though actual prosecutions are rare.[ref]https://ilga.org/downloads/stakeholders_report_Ghana_UPR28.pdf[/ref] Anti-LGBTI+ hate crime and societal discrimination is prevalent in Ghana, and is widely condoned by the media, public officials and religious figures.[ref]https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-56325310[/ref] For example, in 2020, opposition MP Dr. Hanna Luisa Bissiw, stated that “homosexuality is a disease” and suggested LGBTI+ people should be euthanized; and an Imam described homosexuality as an “evil that must not be countenanced in any way because it is despised by God”. In 2018, Head Pastor of Osu Church of Christ, Kofi Tawiah stated “homosexuality is considered as a capital offence which is abominable and is accompanied by capital punishment.”[ref]https://www.humandignitytrust.org/country-profile/ghana/[/ref] Ghana’s first LGBTI+ community support center and safe house opened in January