Burkina Faso Adopts Draft Law To Criminalise Homosexuality

Joy ChukwuJuly 11, 20241 Mins read1.2k

Captain Ibrahim Traoré

Burkina Faso has adopted a draft amendment to the country’s family code to criminalise homosexuality.

This was confirmed during the weekly Council of Ministers meeting overseen by interim military leader Ibrahim Traore on Wednesday.

Under the Ministry of Justice, the Council adopted a decree on the preliminary draft of the Code of Persons and Family (CPF).

According to the Minister of Justice, Edasso Rodrigue Bayala, this new code includes major innovations taking into account the socio-cultural realities, customs and traditions of Burkina Faso.

One of such innovations that the CPF project enshrined is a ban on homosexuality.

Homosexuality and similar practices are now prohibited and punishable by law,” Bayala stressed.

This move followed calls by the Rogomik Nokindre Association for the country’s authorities to take responsibility and adopt anti-homosexual law to eradicate all practices tending to encourage homosexuality. The association was created on January 20, 2024 and aims to promote respect for cultural values and aims to fight against all forms of moral depravity.

Over the past 14 months, there has been an intensifying crackdown on LGBTQ rights across Africa. In May of last year, Uganda implemented one of the world’s most severe anti-LGBTQ laws, and in February, Ghana’s parliament passed stricter anti-LGBTQ legislation.

While countries in Africa continue to implement laws that restrict LGBT rights, Nigeria signed a $150 billion Samoa Agreement, which allegedly entails the condition to recognise and support the LGBTQ community despite the Anti-Gay Laws in the country.