LGBT+ Rights Ghana is a non-profit organization fighting for the rights of LGBTQIA+ persons in Ghana. Initially founded in 2018 as a cyber activism blog, LGBT+ Rights Ghana has grown to become one of the largest Ghanaian organizations fighting for the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals, who in recent years have faced increasingly fierce persecution and discrimination. LGBT+ Rights Ghana’s work focuses primarily on hosting events and workshops that build community for LGBTQIA+ individuals, collecting data on the abuse and persecution of members of the community, and organizing advocacy campaigns and protests. LGBT+ Rights Ghana is mainly a crowdfunded initiative, raising tens of thousands of dollars in individual donations through its GoFundMe, PayPal, and MTN Mobile Money accounts. Donations to LGBT+ Rights Ghana peaked when, in February 2021, the organization made local and international headlines after its newly opened office and community center were raided and shut down by Ghanaian authorities. In addition to relying on a small staff, the organization also accepts support from volunteers in sustaining its operations and organizing community events.
Theory of Change
Providing visibility and community for LGBTQIA+ people helps to counter prejudice and discrimination and works towards creating a safer, more inclusive society.
Activities
LGBT+ Rights Ghana regularly hosts events and workshops aimed at building community among LGBTQIA+ individuals. These events include panel discussions, speaker series, community socials, music and arts events, and interfaith vigils. While many events are virtual and hosted over Zoom, LGBT+ Rights Ghana hires security to ensure the safety of participants at any in-person meetings and workshops. LGBT+ Rights Ghana organizes resistance campaigns in response to anti-LGBTQIA+ policies and rhetoric. For the “We Are All Ghana” campaign, which seeks to unite voices of dissent against Ghana’s Anti-LGBTQ bill, LGBT+ Rights Ghana developed a protest pack that includes tips on protesting, sample posters and placards, and social media guidelines to assist individuals in and outside of Ghana in organizing. LGBT+ Rights Ghana collects data on instances of discrimination and abuse of LGBTQIA+ individuals through the Research, Documentation, and Data Management (RDDM) project. The project hosts quarterly meetings to share updates on its work. Individuals supportive of LGBT+ Rights Ghana’s mission can choose to become official members. Members are regularly kept informed of the organization’s activities through newsletters, events, and trainings. They also receive access to support structures including a reporting system for cases of abuse and blackmailing, accommodation, as well as mental and physical health, legal, educational, and economic support services. Membership is free, and individuals must submit an application form that is vetted to ensure the security of the community.
Results
As of 2021, LGBT+ Rights Ghana had over 540 registered members, many of whom are members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Ghana. Through its social media, LGBT+ Rights Ghana reaches over 18,000 followers on Instagram, over 12,500 followers on Twitter, and over 7,000 followers on Facebook. In 2021 alone, LGBT+ Rights Ghana raised $58,845 USD in donations through its GoFundMe account, 20% of which was allocated to the organization’s community support fund and 10% of which was allocated to the “We Are All Ghana” campaign. LGBT+ Rights Ghana successfully organized pro-LGBTQIA+ protests at Ghanaian embassies in Canada, London, Berlin, and the U.S., and the organization’s leadership also met with five UK Members of Parliament of African descent to discuss the situation of the LGBTQIA+ community in Ghana.
