Tag: Response

Blog, Press

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia & Transphobia Theme: “No One Left Behind: Faith, Freedom, and the Fullness of Our Humanity”

julianathomeblog

Today, on IDAHOTBIT 2026, the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA) joins millions across the world to affirm a simple truth: every human being carries inherent dignity, and no law, doctrine, or political agenda can erase the image of the Divine within us.

Across our region, LGBTIQ+ people continue to face violence, criminalization, forced displacement, and the weaponization of religion and culture. In recent years, we have witnessed a dangerous rise in state‑sponsored hostility, misinformation, and moral panic—conditions that threaten not only queer lives, but the moral fabric of our societies. When fear becomes policy, and prejudice becomes law, entire communities are pushed into silence, poverty, and despair.

IDNOWA refuses this future. We stand firmly in the belief that faith is not a weapon. Faith is a source of compassion, justice, and liberation. Our traditions—Christian, Muslim, traditional, and indigenous—teach us to protect the vulnerable, honour truth, and defend the sanctity of life. Any theology that justifies hatred is a distortion of sacred wisdom.

This year, we lift up three commitments:

1. We commit to protecting life.

Every LGBTIQ+ person deserves safety in their home, their school, their mosque, their church, their workplace, and their nation. We call on governments to repeal harmful laws, end arbitrary arrests, and uphold constitutional protections for all citizens.

2. We commit to truth-telling.

We challenge the false narratives that portray queer people as threats to culture or faith. Our communities have always existed in West Africa. We are family members, leaders, workers, believers, and nation-builders. Our existence is not a debate.

3. We commit to solidarity and healing.

In this moment of fear and repression, we choose community over isolation. We choose courage over silence. We choose healing over harm. We honour activists, survivors, allies, and faith leaders who continue to defend human rights at great personal risk.

As we mark IDAHOTBIT 2026, we call on religious leaders, policymakers, and citizens across West Africa to rise above fear and embrace a vision of justice rooted in compassion. The measure of any society is how it treats those most marginalized. Our region cannot claim moral authority while denying people the right to live, love, and thrive.

To every LGBTIQ+ person across West Africa: you are not alone. Your life is sacred. Your identity is valid. Your story matters. We see you. We honour you. We will continue to fight beside you.

IDNOWA remains steadfast in building a West Africa where diversity is celebrated, human rights are protected, and no one is left behind.

Blog, Press

PUBLIC STATEMENT

Interfaith Diversity Network Of West Africa

On the Scheduling of the Anti‑LGBTQ+ Bill in the Parliament of Ghana

The Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA) notes with deep concern the decision of the Parliament of Ghana to schedule the Anti‑LGBTQ+ Bill for debate and consideration. As an interfaith body committed to human dignity, justice, and peaceful coexistence, we affirm that no law should strip any human being of their safety, freedom of conscience, or right to exist without fear.

Across our region, people of diverse faiths—Christian, Muslim, traditional, and others—share a common moral principle: every human being is created with inherent worth. Criminalizing individuals on the basis of identity or perceived identity violates this shared moral foundation and threatens the social harmony that our faith traditions seek to uphold.

We respectfully urge Ghana’s lawmakers to consider the far‑reaching implications of this bill, including its impact on:

  • Human dignity and fundamental freedoms  
  • Religious liberty, especially for faith communities who reject violence and criminalization  
  • Public health and community safety  
  • Ghana’s longstanding reputation as a leader in democracy and human rights in West Africa

IDNOWA stands firmly against any form of violence, discrimination, or state‑sanctioned harm. We call for dialogue instead of punishment, understanding instead of fear, and compassion instead of criminalization.

We remain committed to working with religious leaders, civil society, and policymakers to promote peace, protect the vulnerable, and uphold the values that strengthen our communities. Our doors remain open for constructive engagement rooted in respect and shared humanity.

Human dignity is not a debate. It is a sacred obligation.

Signed,

Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA)

Blog, Press

Spiritual Violence Against LGBTIQ People in West Africa

Interfaith Diversity Network Of West Africa

By Nana Davis Mac‑Iyalla

Across West Africa, many LGBTIQ people are not only fighting for their human rights—they are fighting for their spiritual survival. As an activist, a ceremonial leader, and someone shaped by both African tradition and global faith communities, I have witnessed how deeply spiritual violence wounds our people. It is a form of harm that is often invisible, yet its impact is profound and lasting.

Spiritual violence happens when religion, culture, or sacred authority is used to shame, silence, or erase LGBTIQ identities. It appears in sermons that condemn us, in families who pray for us to “change,” in traditional leaders who deny our place in ancestral narratives, and in laws justified by distorted interpretations of scripture. It is the quiet violence of exclusion, the loud violence of public humiliation, and the structural violence of institutions that refuse to see our humanity.

What makes spiritual violence particularly painful is that it strikes at the core of who we are. In West Africa, spirituality is not a separate part of life—it is woven into our birth, our names, our families, our communities, and our understanding of purpose. When someone tells an LGBTIQ person that they are “not of God,” they are not simply expressing an opinion; they are attempting to sever that person from their cultural and spiritual roots.

Yet the truth—our truth—is older and deeper than these harmful narratives.

Long before colonial laws and imported doctrines, African societies held diverse understandings of gender and sexuality. Our ancestors honoured people with unique spiritual gifts, including those whose identities did not fit rigid categories. Many LGBTIQ people today continue to carry that same spiritual depth, resilience, and calling. We are not outsiders to African spirituality; we are part of its living history.

As Executive Director of the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA), I have seen how reclaiming our spiritual dignity transforms lives. When LGBTIQ people hear affirming messages from faith leaders, when they encounter rituals that honour their existence, when they learn that their identity is not a curse but a gift—something shifts. Hope returns. Healing begins.

But healing cannot happen without truth‑telling.

We must name spiritual violence for what it is: a misuse of sacred power. No scripture, no tradition, and no deity calls us to harm one another. The weaponisation of religion against LGBTIQ people is not faith—it is fear. And fear thrives where knowledge is absent.

This is why our work is urgent. We must continue to educate, to challenge harmful narratives, and to create spaces where LGBTIQ people can reconnect with their spirituality without shame. We must support faith leaders who are courageous enough to stand for inclusion, even when it is unpopular. And we must remind our communities that human dignity is not negotiable.

As we approach IDNOWA’s 10‑year anniversary and our Human Rights Conference this August, I am reminded of how far we have come—and how far we still must go. Our movement is growing. Our voices are stronger. Our stories are being told. But the struggle continues, and we cannot do it alone.

Spiritual violence may be powerful, but so is our resilience. So is our truth. So is our collective determination to build a West Africa where every person—regardless of sexuality, gender identity, or faith—can live with dignity, safety, and spiritual belonging.

Our liberation is not a question of if, but when. And together, we are bringing that “when” closer.

Nana Davis Mac‑Iyalla

Blog, Press

 “Dead on Arrival”: Ghana’s Reintroduced Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Violates Constitution Again

Interfaith Diversity Network Of West Africa

By Nana Davis Mac-Iyalla  
Executive Director of IDNOWA

Ghana’s Parliament has, once again, reintroduced the so-called Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill—a Private Member’s Bill that seeks to criminalize LGBTQ+ identities, advocacy, and even journalism. But just like its predecessor introduced in 2021, this bill is not only discriminatory—it is unconstitutional.

⚖️ Article 108: The Bill’s Fatal Flaw

Under Article 108 of the 1992 Constitution, the Speaker of Parliament is prohibited from allowing any bill that imposes a financial burden on the State unless it is introduced by the government. This bill proposes prison sentences of up to 10 years for individuals who “promote” LGBTQ+ rights—including journalists, allies, and advocates.

That means:

  • Convicts must be housed, fed, and secured—at the taxpayer’s expense.
  • The bill is not government-sponsored, yet it mandates costly enforcement.

This is a textbook violation of Article 108. The Speaker is constitutionally barred from proceeding. Any attempt to do so undermines the integrity of Parliament and the rule of law.

📉 A Bill That Lapsed—and Should Stay Buried

The original version of this bill, introduced in 2021, lapsed without passage. It was widely condemned by legal experts, human rights defenders, and international observers. Its reintroduction in 2025 is not a revival—it’s a repetition of error.

🗣️ Legacy, Clarity, and Constitutional Courage

Let it be known: this bill is dead on arrival. No amount of posturing or moral panic can override the Constitution. Ghana’s democracy is not a playground for populist punishment. We must anchor our laws in justice, clarity, and fiscal responsibility.

To every journalist, advocate, and citizen who refuses to be silenced—stand firm. The Constitution is on your side. And to those who seek to weaponize Parliament against dignity and truth: the law has spoken. You may reintroduce the bill, but you cannot resurrect its legitimacy.

Press

IDNOWA Condemns Burkina Faso’s Anti-Homosexuality Law as a Grave Violation of Human Dignity

Interfaith Diversity Network Of West Africa

PRESS STATEMENT FROM IDNOWA September 2, 2025

IDNOWA Condemns Burkina Faso’s Anti-Homosexuality Law as a Grave Violation of Human Dignity

  IDNOWA stands in unwavering solidarity with LGBTQ+ communities across Africa and strongly denounced the recent passage of a law in Burkina Faso criminalizing homosexuality. This legislation, which imposes prison sentences of two to five years for consensual same-sex relations, is a direct assault on human rights, spiritual dignity, and the principles of justice that should guide any legitimate governance.  

  This law is not only inhumane—it is a dangerous distraction. At a time when citizens are calling for transparency, economic stability, and peace, the government has chosen to scapegoat LGBTQ+ individuals to deflect from its own failures. Such tactics erode public trust and deepen social divisions.  

Davis Mac-Iyalla, Executive Director of IDNOWA, affirms:

“LGBTQ+ people are not outsiders—we are part of Africa’s story, its spirit, and its future. Criminalizing our existence is a betrayal of our shared humanity and a denial of the continent’s rich diversity.”

  We call on the transitional government of Burkina Faso to repeal this unjust law and to redirect its energy toward inclusive governance, protection of civil liberties, and the healing of its nation. True leadership does not come from repression—it comes from courage, compassion, and accountability.  

As an interfaith and ancestral justice network, IDNOWA affirms that every human being carries divine worth. We reject any attempt to criminalize love, identity, or existence. We urge regional and global allies to speak out, to protect those at risk, and to ensure that Africa’s future is not built on fear, but on freedom.

Let it be known: silence is complicity. We will not be silent.

For media inquiries, contact: 

interfaithdiversitynowa@gmail.com

END

Blog, Press

IDNOWA Leads Bold Dialogue on Human Rights and Inclusion Amid Ghana’s Anti-LGBT Bill Debate

Interfaith Diversity Network Of West Africa

Press Release
For Immediate Release Date: 11 August 2025 Contact: Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA) Email: info@idnowa.org

IDNOWA Leads Bold Dialogue on Human Rights and Inclusion Amid Ghana’s Anti-LGBT Bill Debate

Accra, Ghana — On 4 August 2025, the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA) hosted a landmark sensitization workshop aimed at promoting human rights awareness and fostering inclusive dialogue among religious and traditional leaders. The event comes at a critical time, as Ghana’s Parliament reconsiders the controversial anti-LGBT bill, raising alarm among civil society and international observers.

The workshop brought together a diverse group of faith leaders, human rights educators, and civil society representatives to explore the intersection of religion, culture, and inclusion. Through presentations, group discussions, and personal storytelling, participants examined the social and legal implications of the proposed legislation and reaffirmed their commitment to dignity and equality for all.

“This workshop is not just a conversation—it’s a commitment to justice,” said Davis Mac-Iyalla, Executive Director of IDNOWA. “We must continue to challenge exclusionary narratives and empower leaders to stand for compassion and equality.”

IDNOWA has been at the forefront of promoting inclusion across West Africa, using interfaith dialogue to dismantle stigma and build bridges between communities. The organization’s ongoing efforts include educational outreach, advocacy campaigns, and strategic partnerships with local and international stakeholders.

Key Outcomes:
Increased empathy and understanding among religious leaders.

Commitments to promote inclusive practices within faith communities.

Heightened awareness of the anti-LGBT bill’s risks to civil liberties.

Recommendations:
Continued engagement through follow-up workshops.

Development of tailored educational materials for faith communities.

Strengthened partnerships with advocacy groups to support inclusive policy dialogue.

This workshop underscores IDNOWA’s unwavering dedication to human rights and its strategic role in shaping a more inclusive West Africa.

For interviews, media inquiries, or further information, please contact: IDNOWA Communications Team 📧 info@idnowa.org 🌐 Visit our press page

Blog, Press

Statement by the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA) on Ghana’s Upcoming Elections

Interfaith Diversity Network Of West Africa

Statement by the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA) on Ghana’s Upcoming Elections on 7th December 2024

As Ghana approaches its general elections on 7th December 2024, the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA) calls for a peaceful, inclusive, and transparent electoral process that upholds the dignity and rights of all citizens.

A Call for Peace and Unity
We urge political parties, candidates, and their supporters to prioritize peace and refrain from rhetoric or actions that may incite violence, division, or hatred. Ghana has long been a beacon of democracy in Africa, and it is imperative that this legacy is upheld during this critical period.

Respect for Human Rights
Elections should not be a platform for the marginalization of vulnerable groups, including women, youth, and LGBTQI+ individuals. We call on all stakeholders to promote messages of inclusion, unity, and respect for diversity. Hate speech, stigmatization, and the use of homophobia as a political tool have no place in a democratic society.

Fairness and Transparency
IDNOWA appeals to the Electoral Commission, security agencies, and all relevant authorities, to ensure that the electoral process is free, fair and transparent. Citizens must feel confident that their voices will be heard and their votes counted without intimidation or fear.


Engagement with Religious and Community Leaders
As an interfaith organization, we emphasise the role of religious and community leaders in fostering dialogue and encouraging peaceful coexistence. Let us use our platforms to unite communities rather than divide them.

Encouraging Civic Responsibility
We encourage all eligible voters to exercise their right to vote responsibly and without coercion. Participation in the democratic process is a cornerstone of active citizenship and a vital step toward shaping a more inclusive and equitable society.

Our Commitment
IDNOWA remains committed to promoting peace, human rights, and inclusion across West Africa. We stand ready to collaborate with civil society organizations, government agencies, and international partners to ensure a peaceful electoral process in Ghana.

Together, let us strive for an election that reflects the values of justice, equity, and respect for all.

Signed
Mr. Davis Mac-Iyalla
Executive Director
Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa.

Blog, Press

Open Letter to the Ghana Catholic Bishops

Interfaith Diversity Network Of West Africa

Open Letter from the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa to the Most Rev.
Philip Naameh, Chair of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference

05 March 2024

Dear Most Rev. Philip Naameh,

We urge you and the Catholic bishops in Ghana to reconsider your stance toward the now-passed “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act, 2024.” Ask the President not to assent to it. Pledge to support LGBT+ Ghanaians with human rights advocacy and pastoral care. Take back the religious independence which this Act wrongfully arrogates to the civil authority.

We urge you and your fellow bishops to read the Act carefully. This Act criminalizes people who “hold out as” LGBT+ (section 4.1). It criminalizes spiritual caregivers, family, and friends, who do not immediately report LGBT+ people to the police (sections 4 and 17). And it protects anti-LGBT+ media which styles itself as a “response to any form of advocacy or activism,” no matter how “graphic” or hateful that media may be

  • Criminalizing people on the basis of their inward dispositions is wrong. As Pope Francis stated on 5 February, 2023: “Criminalising people with homosexual
    tendencies is an injustice.” We urge you to follow the Pope’s leadership.
  • LGBT+ people often share their thoughts and their struggles with spiritual
    caregivers, family, and friends. Forcing these caregivers to report LGBT+ people
    to the police is a shocking overreach of government power. How can spiritual
    leaders like yourselves tolerate such a provision in the law?
  • Giving sanction to graphic anti-LGBT+ propaganda in education, instruction, and
    public media encourages hatred and violence. To support this kind of legalized
    vitriol is to cry “Peace! Peace!” where there is no peace (Jer 6:14).

Your support for this Act has created panic among many of the LGBT+ people of Ghana, and among many of the people who love them. Those who look to you for action are desperate. Many turn to the Church as a last place of refuge and support. Do not chase souls away. Do not lead our society into greater conflict and vitriol. Do not abandon the persecuted, and lead their persecutors astray.

IDNOWA affirms the teaching of the Catholic Church that LGBT+ people “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity;” that “every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided” (CCC 2358).

We believe that our sexual orientations and gender identities belong to God’s creation and are part of his plan for the salvation of humankind, while the Magisterium of the Catholic Church teaches that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered” and that “under no circumstances can they be approved” (CCC 2357). On this we disagree.
But we affirm with you the Magisterium’s teaching on the dignity of LGBT+ people: “It is deplorable that homosexual persons have been and are the object of violent malice in speech or in action. Such treatment deserves condemnation from the Church’s pastors wherever it occurs. It reveals a kind of disregard for others which endangers the most fundamental principles of a healthy society.” No matter what a person may “hold out” to be, “the intrinsic dignity of each person must always be respected in word, in action and in law” (Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 10). On this, all people of good will should agree.

Now that the Act has been passed by Parliament, the Ghanaian government has begun to weigh its costs and its dangers. The bishops, too, should weigh its effects very carefully.

We urge you to ask the President not to assent to it.

We urge you to pledge your support for the human rights of LGBT+ Ghanaians; and for their right to access pastoral care and personal counselling in freedom.

If this law gains Presidential assent, we urge you to support LGBT+ Ghanaians and the people who love them with legal assistance. Give them lawyers and legal support when they are arrested and jailed under this unjust and un-Christian law.

In the past several years, IDNOWA has made efforts to engage with you and the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, but we have never received an invitation to further dialogue. In the spirit of synodality, ask us to talk with you. Walk together with us, so that you can hear the voices of LGBT+ Ghanaians – both Catholic and non-Catholic. Let us together build a more peaceful, more just society.


Sincerely, Davis Mac Iyalla
Executive Director of Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa interfaithdiversitynowa@gmail.com

Blog, Press

Archbishop of Canterbury decries Ugandan church support for severe anti-gay legislation

Interfaith Diversity Network Of West Africa

IDNOWA executive director, Davis Mac-iyalla, welcomes the statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury. It was important that he reminded the Ugadan Church leaders and other African religious leaders that homophobia and supporting the criminalisation of LGBT+ people is unchristian and unanglican.  

Just recently Pope Frances echoed the same Christian principle denouncing laws criminalising LGBT+ people as sin and injustice. 

IDNOWA will continue to advocate for the full inclusion and affirmation of LGBT+ people in West Africa until respect for equality and human rights are achieved. 

The following story first appeared on the website https://www.modernghana.com/news/1236902/archbishop-of-canterbury-decries-ugandan-church.html and was written by RFI

The head of the worldwide Anglican Communion has expressed his “grief and dismay” to the Ugandan Church over its support for the country’s anti-gay law.

Last month, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni signed into law a controversial anti-gay bill, introducing draconian measures against homosexuality that have been described as among the world’s harshest.

Under the legislation, identifying as gay would not be criminalised, but “engaging in acts of homosexuality” would be an offence punishable with life imprisonment.

This Friday, the head of the Anglican church, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said in a statement: “I have recently written to my brother in Christ, the Primate of Uganda, Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba, to express my grief and dismay at the Church of Uganda’s support for the Anti-Homosexuality Act.”

“I make this public statement with sorrow, and with continuing prayers for reconciliation between our churches and across the Anglican Communion,” he added.

‘The African way’

Kaziimba expressed support for the bill, saying that “homosexuality is currently a challenge in Uganda because it is being forced on us by outside, foreign actors against our will, against our culture, and against our religious beliefs.”

“The African way” is a “lifelong, heterosexual, monogamous marriage,” he added.

Welby rejected Kaziimba’s comments, saying “this is not about imposing Western values on our Ugandan Anglican sisters and brothers. 

“I have reminded Archbishop Kaziimba that Anglicans around the world have long been united in our opposition to the criminalisation of homosexuality and LGBTQ people. 

“Supporting such legislation is a fundamental departure from our commitment to uphold the freedom and dignity of all people,” he added.

Divide deepens 

The Ugandan Church was one of 10 that in February said it no longer recognised the Church of England and Welby as leaders of the global Anglican Communion due to its decision to allow blessings of same sex unions.

The issue looks set to further deepen the divide between the seat of the Anglican Church in Canterbury and its international members, which make up the bulk of its 85 million worshippers.

Blog, Press

South Africa’s Anglican Archbishop Makgoba appeals to Ugandan president to abandon anti-gay hate bill

Interfaith Diversity Network Of West Africa

IDNOWA stands with South Africa’s Anglican Archbishop Makgoba in appealing to Ugandan president to abandon anti-gay hate bill

‘We are all God’s children regardless of the dignity of our sexual differences’ said Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, in an appeal to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, to decline signing into law a bill that makes homosexual acts punishable by death.

Anglican Archbishop Makgoba appeals to Ugandan president to abandon anti-gay hate bill