Female Members in Ghana’s Parliament, students and market women have given a one month ultimatum to the government to reverse the imposition of import duties and Valued Added Tax (VAT) on imported and locally manufactured sanitary pads in the country.
It is their view that the government must not use the blood shed by women and adolescent girls during their biological function of menstruation to raise revenue for the state, rather, the state must guarantee free distribution of free sanitary pads to low-income communities as a menstrual health equity to alleviating the financial burden of the women and girls in marginalized areas.
According to them, sanitary pads are not a luxury but a fundamental necessity for the health and well-being of women and adolescent girls, hence, a basic human right must be easily affordable devoid of financial barriers.
Addressing a joint press conference in Parliament House on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, the female lawmakers lead by the Member of Parliament for Ada, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe, and supported by female students from the University of Ghana, and some market women, stated that, the imposition of financial barriers through taxes on sanitary pads has created undue burden especially for adolescent girls to access the necessity for their menstrual hygiene.
The group asserted that financial barriers to accessing menstrual hygiene products negatively affect the lives of girls, especially those from low-income households thereby impeding their education.
Ms Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe, who is also the Second Deputy Minority Whip, said, the lack of access to sanitary pads opens up the girls to “risky behaviors such as transactional sex leading to teenage pregnancies” which must be confronted by all.
She wondered why there is zero tax on the importation of condom which is used for pleasure and considered as an essential medicine but sanitary pads which is used to make womanhood complete as a result of biological factor, menstruation would attract such taxes?
The Ada lawmaker also indicated that the removal of the taxes on the importation of sanitary pads will provide incentives for NGOs to bring in more sanitary pads and distribute for free on behalf of government to needy communities.
The MP cited countries such as Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Nigeria, Botswana, Nicaragua among others who are either implementing zero tax on sanitary pad importation or free sanitary pad distribution policy.
Women Commissioner, of the Accra City Campus of the University of Ghana, Queenster Anno Quaicoe said thegovernment should make provisions for girls and women to be able to procure sanitary pads for free at the pharmacy using Ghana card.
Source: Christian Kpesese || eagleghana.com