Young women on a match to raise awareness of menstrual hygiene
Access to sanitary pads has become increasingly difficult in recent years for women and girls, especially those in rural areas. Women’s rights activist and Gender Officer at Savannah Women’s Integrated Development Agency, Abdul Samed Khadija, has expressed worry about the situation and revealed that the problem is not just present in rural areas but is also prevalent in urban communities across the country.
“The fact that many organizations have been pushing to train girls on how to sew reusable pads is proof enough of the extent to which sanitary pad affordability has become quite difficult for women and girls,” she said. The problem, she added, “exists in both urban and rural areas,” although she acknowledged that “rural folks are the most affected.”
According to her, the unfortunate situation hinders women’s development in multiple ways and that it is a key factor in the rising rates of sexual and gender-based violence in the country.
“Accessibility issues for pads are crucial in gender-based violence. “Some girls engage in sexual activities with men not because they want to do so but to earn money to purchase pads,” Miss Khadija revealed.
Menstruation Pain
For the majority of women, menstruation is a nightmare because it causes so many inconveniences. Along with that, it may also cause ailments and infections if appropriate precautions are not taken. The known illness that menstruating women are more likely to experience are headaches, lower back pain, abdominal pain, sore breasts, mood swings, loss of appetite, and so on.
Why are sanitary pads inaccessible for most women and girls?
Sanitary pads should have been offered for free or, at the very least, sell at a reasonable price because, as many will agree, they are essential to the health and civility of women and girls. But that is not the case in Ghana, where sanitary pads are regarded as a luxury item rather than a necessity.
Sadly, sanitary pads fall under a category of imported products classified as luxury goods, which means they attract heavy taxes. At the time of filing this report, the overall tax rate on sanitary pads was 32.5%, which included a 20% luxury tax and a 12.5% VAT.
Rabiatu A. Asare-Mintah, a midwife based in Accra, reveals that women with heavy blood flow during menstruation use an average of 1.5 packs of pads each month, while those with light flow use an average of 1. Because, ideally, pads should be changed at least every four to six hours each day, she continued.
Investigations showed the average price of the pad in Tamale and most cities in the country ranges from GHC13 to GHC16. Meanwhile, rural areas charge a higher price than this. Quite shockingly, the average price in January 2022 was only GHC5 to GHC6, indicating an increase of more than 100%.
What Do Sanitary Pads Mean for Ghanaian Women?
For the over 6 million women and girls who menstruate in this country, a pad means everything to them. It serves as a source of energy for them to maintain comfort and serves as a lifesaver and protector of their dignity. It helps them stay hygienic and comfortable during this difficult period of menstruation.
Abdul-Rahaman Latifa, a student at Tamale Technical University, said she now spends GHC20 per month on pads. Because of her heavy flow, she uses 2 pads every day. Unfortunately, she is only able to manage with one in most cases because she cannot afford two due to the high prices. “Sometimes you become uncomfortable being in one pad for a whole day, but then you need to manage as the cost is now higher,” she recounts.
Menstrual hygiene is still a major problem in Ghana, as observed by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). According to the organization, nine out of ten girls in the country miss class during their menstrual period.
What CSOs are saying about the taxes on sanitary pads
Civil Society organizations in the country are also concerned about the tax on this essential good. There have been numerous protests and demonstrations across the nation by coalitions of CSOs, students, and girls’ clubs over the past few years demanding the cancelation of the taxes.
According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), most girls miss four (4) days of school per month, which equates to 13 learning days lost in a term and 39 learning days lost in every academic year due to the lack of sanitary napkins or pads.
It is on the bases of this that some 14 civil society organizations formed the Coalition of CSOs Against Sanitary Pad Taxation. The group held a press conference on Monday, October 21, 2021, to demand that the government immediately exempt sanitary pads from taxation.
“The taxes on sanitary pads have made the product very expensive and inaccessible to many low-income households who must choose between the pads and competing needs,” the coalition stated during the press conference.
The group continues to argue strongly that, the taxes are immoral and unjust. Part of the statement read, “The fact that this tax is directly targeted at females for a natural occurrence in their reproductive process that they have no choice or control over makes the tax highly unjust and immoral.”
Speaking on the taxes, the Executive Director of Renal Ghana Foundation, Nelson Richardson-Mandela, asserted that no action has yet been taken by the government to solve the problem. According to him, charging women for their periods violates their human rights and has to be addressed. He predicted that, given present trends, the price of the pad could reach GHC20 before 2023.
The coalition includes Girls Not Bride Ghana, Africa Civil Society Alliance on Child Rights, Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, Muslim Family Counselling Services, Africa Education Watch, and Sung Foundation.
The other organizations are the Renal Ghana Foundation, Center for Youth Analysis, Global Media Foundation, Revenue Mobilisation Africa, Ghana Education Forum, Alliance of Feminine CSOs, Greater Accra Youth Network, and Ghana TVET Coalition.
The way forward on the taxes and alternative solutions
Learning from other countries that have waived taxes on pads for their women and girls to improve menstrual hygiene is the best way forward. African countries, such as Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa, have paved the way for us to follow. Exempting pads from taxes will help to drastically lower the cost, which will ultimately enhance access for women and girls, improve their socioeconomic development and promote menstrual hygine.
Ghana should follow Kenya’s great example, which abolished sanitary pad taxes as early as 2004 and has since budgeted about $3 million annually to provide free pads to low-income communities. Along with the removal of the taxes, there should be a drive for the free distribution of pads to underserved communities. Even if the cost is minimal, many women and girls will still not be able to afford it, so the government must cater to them in its budget.
Alternatively, concentrating our efforts on reusable pads will also assist in easing the strain on our women and girls. The reusable pads are produced with materials that are easily accessible and, when made well, can last for many years. The government and non-governmental organizations should direct their energy in that area and help train women and girls how to sew reusable pads by themselves.
By Sulemana Zakaria, Student Journalist, Tamale Technical University