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Remove taxes on sanitary pads — CSOs to gov't

The Ghana CSOs Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has joined Ghanaians to appeal to the government to scrap import tax on sanitary products to make them affordable to all women and girls.

Tax on sanitary pads

Currently in Ghana, the high cost of sanitary pads has compelled some young women to resort to the use of untreated fabrics and tissues, with consequences for their health.

There are now intensified calls to remove taxes on sanitary pads to make them more affordable for all.

The CSOs said sanitary products are highly taxed making it expensive for most women and girls to afford them.

The National Coordinator Ghana CSOs Platform on SDGs, Levlyn Konadu Levlyn said: "Sanitary products are currently enlisted on chapter 96 of the Harmonised System, and that attracts a 32.5 percent tax on imported sanitary pads, which is made up of 20 percent import duty and 12.5 percent in Value Added Tax."

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The CSOs called on the Ministry of Finance and the government to reclassify sanitary products as 'essential social goods' which is zero-rated.

Available data in the country indicates that 9 out of 10 girls regularly miss school during their periods. 44 to 54 percent of school girls in the Northern Region use reusable clothes to collect menstrual blood due to a lack of access and funds to buy a disposable sanitary pad.

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