LGBTQ+ is not an epidemic, Ghana's Family Values Bill is a threat to Human Rights - Denmark Ambassador
Accra, Ghana - Denmark's Ambassador to Ghana, Tom Norring, has expressed concerns over Ghana's proposed anti-LGBTQ+ bill, also known as the Family Values Bill.
In an interview with Lead News' Florence Kyei on December 3, Ambassador Norring emphasized that Denmark's opposition to the bill is not about promoting Western values, but rather about protecting vulnerable minorities.
"We respect every country's values and culture," Ambassador Norring said. "However, it's essential to protect those who are at risk and marginalized, regardless of their sexual orientation or ethnicity."
Ambassador Norring also addressed the misconception that LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to engage in pedophilia. "This is simply not true," he said. "In my country, where same-sex relationships are legal, there is no evidence to suggest that LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to commit pedophilia than heterosexuals."
Regarding potential sanctions against Ghanaian politicians who support the anti-LGBTQ+ bill, Ambassador Norring clarified that Denmark does not have specific sanctions in place. However, he noted that any individual seeking to travel to Denmark would need to apply for a visa and demonstrate a valid reason for their visit.
As a member of the European Union, Denmark adheres to common rules and regulations regarding travel and immigration. Ambassador Norring emphasized that Denmark's primary concern is promoting human rights and protecting vulnerable minorities, rather than imposing sanctions or restrictions.
''I would like to reassure those that think and often argue that this is a western kind of promotion of our values to Ghana and to other countries and I would like to say that, that is not the case,'' he stated.
''That’s a misconception. We are not trying to promote any values as such. I am a happy heterosexual married man and I have two daughters. I think I’m not specially promoting my own values in that sense.
Its not about that all. It’s about the protection of minorities, ethnic, political, sexual minorities. It could be anyone. Protect those that are at risk and marginalised, physically and psychologically attacked.
''...So that’s it what sit about. It’s not about promoting any values. We respect fully that every country has their own values and I think that’s important. I think a country without culture is not really a country. There are things that identify us but I think something that I will say from a personal point of view that saddened me a little bit was that when I came to Ghana, one of the positive things I took the first in my first few weeks was your immediate hospitality and incredible tolerance that shows you have a very strong sense of religious tolerance which is part of the fabric of this country’s democracy. The fact that Muslims and Christians live side by side and inter-marriages between Christians and Muslims, I am very impressed. So it saddens me to see how unfortunately for reasons that I cannot totally understand that suddenly that tolerance went away when it came to one specific issue. And what also saddens me is the enormous amount of misinformation and disinformation when it comes to this whole issue. It was depicted as if this was something that is almost an epidemic that it was spreading from Europe to America to Africa. It is not an epidemic. It is simply a matter of somebody likes somebody. Just let them be.And show that tolerance,'' he noted.
''And the stories flying around that LGBTQ is about pedophilia and abuse of children. Even in my country where this is legal, I don’t think there is any more pedophilia about than there is amongst heterosexuals.
So these stories are unhealthy for the discussions. But in general, it is not about promoting values that (Europeans) have it is about protecting vulnerable people, minorities,
On the issue of the Family Values Bill calling for jail time for anyone accused of engaging in an d advocating for LGBTQ+, Ambassador Norring stated; ''So you are not allowed to have freedom of speech anymore? What will be the other sign of the coin will be that Ghana that is prides itself of living up to the international Declarations of Human Rights, which has a very important component in freedom of Speech and another very important component in Freedom of the media will suffer a big blow there.''
He also stated that there are no travel sanctions for politicians and proponents of the anti-lgbtq+ bill who wishes to travel to Denmark.
''We don’t have sanctions to deny certain politicians that want to travel to Denmark.
''So far we have used our sanctions on other things like against Russia and Russian Politicians that cannot come to Denmark or the European Union due to their brutal attack on Ukraine.'' he added.
Source: Florence Kyei / Lead News Online
