Pakistan to Eliminate Sales Tax on Menstrual Products

Activists highlight the need for further action to tackle the broader issue of menstrual product accessibility in Pakistan. Currently, only 12 percent of Pakistani women and girls use safe, commercially produced menstrual products. This is largely due to affordability challenges, as UNICEF estimates taxes make up about 40 percent of the product price.

In a significant move, Pakistan plans to abolish a sales tax on menstrual pads and tampons starting in July. The government aims to make these essential products more accessible in a country where menstrual hygiene awareness is limited. Recently, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced the elimination of the 18 percent sales tax. He emphasized the importance of menstrual products for women’s health, dignity, and social participation.

This decision is welcomed by women and rights activists, who view it as a victory for menstrual health rights. The announcement follows a nationwide discussion initiated last year when an activist challenged the tax impositions on these products in court.

In Pakistan, the fifth-most-populous nation globally, only about 12 percent of menstruating females use commercial sanitary pads, compared to 36 percent in neighboring India, as reported by UNICEF. Activists stress the need for additional measures to provide menstrual products to more women and girls and to dismantle the prevalent stigma surrounding menstruation. In rural and conservative settings, many rely on unhygienic rags and pieces of cloth. According to UNICEF, one in five Pakistani girls misses school during her menstrual cycle.

“There is a period poverty crisis in Pakistan,” said Mahnoor Omer, a 25-year-old activist and lawyer. Her legal petition last year sought to classify sanitary pads and tampons as essential items, like basic foodstuffs. The court ruling is anticipated in the final quarter of the year.

Omer was recognized by Time magazine as one of the “women of the year” for her advocacy. Her actions have sparked critical discussions on menstrual health and rights throughout the country.