Remove all taxes on sanitary pads
What you need to know:
- The issue: Taxes on sanitary pads
- Our view: While reducing taxes on these items is long overdue and welcome, we still believe total removal of taxes is the best gift we can give to all girls and women to empower them.
During the International Women’s Day celebrations in Katakwi District last Friday, Vice President Jessica Alupo said the government is considering reducing taxes on sanitary pads.
Just last month, this publication reported on girls in Busoga Sub-region, who pile soil in polythene bags and use them as emergency sanitary pads.
While reducing taxes on these items is long overdue and welcome, we still believe total removal of taxes is the best gift we can give to all girls and women to empower them.
A 2020 study by the Ministry of Education and Sports revealed that out of 152 girls interviewed, 43 reported having emergency pads at school, while 109 (71 percent) of the girls had none in their schools.
The same study established that the increase in school absenteeism among girls is partly attributed to starting their menstruation periods.
More than half of girls who enroll in Primary One drop out before sitting their Primary Leaving Examinations mainly because of menstrual challenges such as inability to afford sanitary products such as pads. Also 77 percent of girls miss two to three days of school due to menstrual-related challenges.
Overtime, several proposals and calls have been made to ensure Ugandan girls go to school without the interruptions of the menstrual cycle such as the government partnering with manufacturers and scientists to provide “free” or “low cost” alternatives.
However, we still have a challenge of moving from principle to practice. While campaigning in Lango Sub-region in 2015, President Museveni promised that if re-elected into power, his government would provide school-going girls with sanitary pads. In 2017, the government backtracked on the decision, saying there were no funds to fulfil that promise.
Our take is that the funds are available but misappropriated as shown by the several Auditor General’s reports. Removal of taxes on sanitary pads is very possible; we can take a leaf from our neigbours in Kenya.
More than 10 years ago, Kenya scrapped taxes on sanitary products in an effort to make them more affordable. This has improved girl-child learning and stay in school.
