Take off the Luxury Tax on Sanitary Pads now – The Lamentations of a Menstruating Girl

I can’t remember the number of times I had to go back home to add more money this year alone just to buy a sanitary pad.

The sanitary pad has seen very significant increment in price this year. This is a very sad development.

I recall that about four months ago, I went to my area store to get my monthly need with GHC6.50p in hand. The woman behind the counter told me it was GHC8.50p. Have you seen the margin….GHC2.00 straight. I screamed since when? How? When did we get here? I was lost. I began to question myself when was the last I got one…..i was totally lost. Let me give you the great filla, I’m buying it at GHC11.50p to GHC12.00.  Isn’t that shocking. I am a bit fortunate to be working for my own money but you can’t imagine the hurdle I go through every month to get that item.

So, that brings me to the question, how does my younger sisters in the remote areas of our country who are not fortunate enough like me cope with this situation?

I remember reading somewhere that young school girls have to sleep with men so they can get money to buy sanitary pads. We didn’t choose to be women. Menstrual pain is enough discomfort and pain to cause you to curse yourself for being a woman. Do I also have to struggle to get pain relievers and still die buying sanitary pad?

I hope and pray that the Minister-designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Lariba Zuweira Abudu and her deputies would chance upon this lamentation of mine.

Think about the pain we go through every month. I have friends who bleed painfully and so much that they use about two to three packs of sanitary pads a month. Please do the maths and see. You are amazed at how much she spends a month just for menstruation? Does your heart bleeds like mine too? Do you think we deserve this? Then add your voice to mine and that of the many others that wail loudly every month yet in silence.

Do you know young girls are still using rags and toilet rolls in some communities in this country?

Yes, they are….. Some have to stay away from public places when it is that time of the month just to avoid staining and shame.

Let us go back to that girl that has to sleep with men to buy pad. Ma’am, do you know even with her sleeping with that man she still doesn’t want to get pregnant? She got dreams bigger than sanitary pads to attain so she would do anything to achieve that dream. She quickly runs to buy post pill. Your mind didn’t come to that right? Yes she adds that to the budget.

Let us go back to that maths class again.

She is a rural girl and she is fortunate, she is given GHC10.00. Postinor 2 is GHC5.00, Lydia post pill is GHC10.00. Apparently she goes for Postinor 2 so she can save for the pad, the main reason she slept with the man (or boy) She has GHC5.00 left. She has to go back to sleep with him or another man who might even give her less. The same maths and procedure is done. Post pill and Pad. Imagine how many times she would have to sleep with men just to buy pad. She might get to the shop and be returned just like me because the money is short of some few amount. I don’t want to talk about the health issues she is exposing herself to.

Think about it and do some soul searching. We deserve peace of mind to endure or go through that time of the month. Help us

By Gertrude Edem Amuzu