Idris Elba and Naomi Campbell call for LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana

Idris Elba and Edward Enninful have condemned Ghana’s record on LGBTQ+ issues, joining with 67 other members of the diaspora in an open letter to the African country’s government.

The two famous Ghanian Brits have signed a letter asking the Ghanian government to rethink their LGBTQ+ laws. Nigerian-British supermodel Naomi Campbell has also given her support to the cause.

“We have watched with profound concern as you have had to question the safety of your vital work at the LGBT+ Rights Ghana Centre in Accra, and feared for your personal wellbeing and security. It is unacceptable to us that you feel unsafe,” the letter reads.

It continues “As prominent and powerful advocates for this great country, we are beseeching His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and political/cultural leaders to create a pathway for allyship, protection and support. We petition for inclusivity which will make the nation even greater and even stronger.”

For weeks, prominent people in Ghana called for the centre, set up by LGBT+ Rights Ghana, to be shut after a high profile opening in January. Catholic bishops condemned the attendance of representatives from Australia and the EU and called on the government to “never to be cowed down or succumb to the pressure to legalise the rights of LGBTIs.”

According to a 2018 report by Human Rights Watch, the Ghanian anti-same-sex relationship is rarely enforced. However, activists claim homophobic hate crime has increased since then.

Roslyn Mould, a board member of LGBT+ Ghana told The Guardian, “This space or office was made to support a vulnerable community, these persons have been under attack for a long time,” she said. “We would also like this opportunity to thank all the allies who have supported the community throughout this ordeal.”