Dont Use Our Blood In Raising Revenue For The Country- MPs, Market Women, Students To Govt

Female Members in Ghana’s Parliament, students and market women have given a one month ultimatum to government to reverse the imposition of import duties and Valued Added Tax (VAT) on imported and locaaly manufactured sanitary pads in the country.

The group said government must not use the blood shed by women and adolscent girls during their biological function of menstruation to raise revenue for the state but rather gurantee free distribution of free sanitary pads to low-income communities as a menstrual health equity of alleviating the financial burden of the women and girls in marginalised areas of the country.

According to them, sanitary pads are not a luxury but a fundamental neccesity for the health and well-being of women and the adoslecent girls hence a basic human right which must be easilly affordable devoid of any financial barriers.

Addressing a joint press conference in Parliament House on Thursday November 29, 2023, the female lawmakers lead by Member for Ada, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe and supported by female students from the university of Ghana and 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 assereted that financial barriers to menstrual hygiene products negatively affects 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 behaviours 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 countires such as Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Nigeria, Botswana, Nicaragua among others who are either implemeting zero tax on sanitary pad importation or free sanitary pad distribution policy.

Womens Commissioner, of the Accra City Campus of the University of Ghana, Queenster Anno Quaicoe said government should make provisions for girls and women to be able to procure sanitary pads for free at the pharmacy using Ghana card.

By: Christian Kpesese/www.eagleghana.com