In a move that is stirring significant controversy, Ghana has become the backdrop for a conference aimed at advancing a draft charter that seeks to redefine family values and reject longstanding international human rights commitments. The proposed African charter, which asserts that sexual and reproductive health rights are incompatible with the continent’s cultural fabric, could soon be presented for a vote at the African Union general assembly.
A Step Backwards for Human Rights
The draft charter, unveiled at a recent inter-parliamentary conference in Accra, takes a stark stance against established human rights norms. Alban Bagbin, the parliamentary speaker of Ghana, declared the charter a necessary response to perceived threats from “foreign ideologies,” positioning it as a bulwark against external influences that allegedly undermine traditional African family structures. The document controversially calls for the withdrawal from international agreements, including the 2003 Maputo Protocol, which advocates for gender equality and the protection of women’s reproductive rights.
Critics are alarmed by the charter’s framing of sexual and reproductive health as an “existential threat” to African families. It falsely equates policies that advocate for these rights with promoting abortion on demand, neglecting the complex realities many African women face regarding reproductive health.
Defining Family: A Narrow Perspective
Central to the charter’s philosophy is a rigid definition of family that excludes the vast diversity of familial structures present across Africa. Critics, including legal experts and reproductive rights advocates, argue that the charter’s narrow focus on heterosexual marriage disregards countless family dynamics that exist throughout the continent’s 54 nations.
Gilbert Mitullah, a Kenyan lawyer affiliated with the Queer African Network, stated, “This charter is a license to sidestep existing commitments on sexual and reproductive health, LGBTQ rights, and to dismantle the Maputo Protocol from the inside.” He emphasised that the charter’s operational function is to enable governments to retreat from their human rights obligations, even before any formal endorsement.
The Influence of Conservative Groups
The charter’s development has been heavily influenced by conservative Christian organisations, particularly those from the US and Europe that staunchly oppose abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. Their involvement is seen as a direct attempt to reshape African legal frameworks under the guise of cultural preservation. Critics argue that this reflects a colonial mindset, as they believe these values are being imposed rather than organically developed within African societies.
Famia Nkansa, a communications lead at a Sierra Leone-based girls’ activism organisation, pointed out that the push against rights on the continent mirrors colonial strategies, suggesting that Africa is again being used as a battleground for ideological conflicts. She remarked, “Anti-rights activity in Africa is simply an extension and expansion of the colonial playbook.”
Preparing for a Vote
The conference in Ghana, attended by representatives from 20 countries, aims to gather sufficient backing to take the charter to the African Union general assembly in February 2026. If approved, it would represent a significant policy shift towards a more conservative approach to human rights on the continent, one that prioritises collective family values over individual rights.
The Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA) has conducted an in-depth analysis of the draft, warning that its implications could lead to the legitimisation of the subordination of women and children. “Women will no longer be safe; children will not be safe,” stated Lakshita Kanhiya, a legal officer at ISLA. The risk of government-sanctioned discrimination looms large if the charter gains traction.
Why it Matters
This proposed charter is not merely a legal text; it reflects an ideological battle for the future of human rights in Africa. As nations grapple with their cultural identities amidst global influences, the potential adoption of this charter could signify a retreat from human rights advancements, leaving vulnerable populations without protection. The implications are profound, as they could reshape the landscape of gender equality and personal freedoms across the continent, potentially stifling progress for generations to come.
