Pakistan Plans to Abolish Sales Tax on Menstrual Products

In Pakistan, a substantial number of women and girls struggle to afford commercially produced menstrual products like pads and tampons. UNICEF indicates that taxes contribute to around 40 percent of these products’ costs.

The Pakistani government intends to eliminate the 18 percent sales tax on menstrual pads and tampons starting in July. This effort aims to make these essential products more affordable and accessible in a country where menstrual hygiene knowledge and access remain limited.

Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan’s finance minister, announced the tax removal plan, emphasizing that pads and tampons are critical for maintaining women’s health and dignity. Activists view this move as a positive step for menstrual health rights, following a national debate initiated last year by an activist who challenged the imposed taxes on these products in court.

Despite being the world’s fifth-most-populous nation, only about 12 percent of menstruating women and girls in Pakistan use commercially made sanitary pads, as reported by UNICEF. In comparison, in neighboring India, the figure is 36 percent.

Activists believe that additional measures are necessary to provide girls and women with menstrual products and to combat the stigma associated with menstruation. Particularly in rural and conservative communities, women rely on unhygienic cloth and rags. UNICEF estimates that one in five Pakistani girls misses school due to their menstrual cycle.

Mahnoor Omer, an activist and lawyer, highlighted the period poverty crisis in Pakistan. She brought attention to this issue last year by filing a petition in a high court to declare sanitary pads and tampons as essential, similar to certain food items. This action earned her recognition as one of Time magazine’s ‘women of the year.’ The court is expected to issue its ruling later this year.