Call to exempt sanitary napkins from GST

PESHAWAR: A network has demanded the KP government to scrap General Sales Tax (GST) on sanitary napkins for making health and hygiene accessible to women and girls across the province.

The members of Hygiene and Gender Justice Network, the first young women-led network in KP aiming to advocate around the issues related to women’s health and promoting girls’ economic rights, made the demand after a discussion.

The speakers pointed out that there was a 12 per cent tax on sanitary napkins in Pakistan which made the hygiene products luxury items and unaffordable for women and girls.

Sana Ahmad, the leader of the network, said “Only 21 per cent women across Pakistan were able to get the hygienic products due to the taboo, affordability and accessibility issues.

“Unaffordability of girls and women-related hygiene products have a direct impact on women wellbeing, work, dignity and nurtures invisible gender discrimination which deserved attention to provide rights and dignity to women and girls,” she added.

Tehreem, a girls rights activist, said: “Lack of access to clean hygiene products, while also facing stigma and a lack of WASH facilities in schools and workplaces, are biggest barriers in girls’ education and participation in economic spheres.”

“The government must prioritize the issue of hygiene management as women economic empowerment issue in their political agenda and make inclusive efforts to address the issue effectively” suggested Ammara, a member of the network. Hooriya, an educationist, said: “Tax-free sanitary products can be an exemplary step to help our women and girls to stay in schools and jobs to practice proper hygiene”.

The speakers stressed effective policy reforms and measures to address the issue of hygiene management and prioritization of the issue as women empowerment and gender equality issue.