Pakistan Moves to End ‘Period Tax’ in Major Win for Women’s Health and Reproductive Rights

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s federal government has announced plans to abolish the 18 per cent sales tax on sanitary products and contraceptives, marking a significant policy shift that advocates say could improve access to essential reproductive health products and help break long-standing social taboos surrounding menstruation.

The proposal, unveiled as part of the federal budget for the upcoming fiscal year, has been welcomed by women’s rights groups, health advocates, and legal campaigners who have spent years calling for menstrual products to be treated as essential goods rather than luxury items.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said the government’s decision reflects the importance of ensuring women and girls have access to products necessary for their health, dignity, and participation in society.

“Sanitary products are indispensable for women’s health, dignity, and full participation in social activities,” Aurangzeb said while presenting the budget. He also announced the removal of taxes on contraceptives, citing Pakistan’s rapidly growing population and the government’s commitment to family planning initiatives.

The policy change follows a landmark legal challenge launched by two young Pakistani lawyers, Ahsan Jehangir Khan, 29, and Mahnoor Omer, 25. Their constitutional petition challenged the taxation of menstrual products and argued that such policies disproportionately burden women and girls, particularly those from low-income households.

The case, filed last year, called on the government to classify sanitary products as essential healthcare items and remove all taxes associated with them. The legal action quickly drew national attention and sparked wider public discussion about menstrual health, gender equality, and reproductive rights in Pakistan.

According to UNICEF, only about 12 per cent of women and girls in Pakistan currently use commercial sanitary products. Many rely on cloth or homemade alternatives due to cost barriers and limited access.

Campaigners argue that taxation has contributed significantly to affordability challenges. Before the latest budget announcement, locally manufactured menstrual products were subject to an 18 per cent sales tax, while imported products faced an additional 25 per cent customs duty. Combined with other charges, some estimates suggested women were effectively paying up to 40 per cent in taxes and duties on essential menstrual products.

While activists have welcomed the government’s decision, they stress that the reforms should go further.

Mahnoor Omer and Ahsan Jehangir Khan continue to push for the elimination of all taxes related to menstrual products, including customs duties on imported products and taxes on raw materials used in domestic manufacturing.

They argue that taxing sanitary products undermines women’s constitutional rights and creates barriers to health, education, and economic participation.

Khan described the proposed sales tax removal as an important first step but emphasized that broader reforms remain necessary.

“Our fight is very much ongoing, but we are encouraged that the government has recognized these products are not luxury items,” he said.

International organizations have also welcomed the move. UN Women Pakistan described the proposal as an important step toward improving menstrual health management and increasing access to essential products for women and girls across the country.

Advocates note that the significance of the decision extends beyond affordability. Many believe the measure represents a broader acknowledgment of menstruation as a public health issue rather than a social taboo.

Reproductive justice activist Bushra Mahnoor said the symbolic impact of removing the tax may be just as important as any reduction in product prices.

“This decision sends a message that menstruation is a normal biological process and that menstrual products are necessities, not luxuries,” she said.

Despite the progress, experts caution that affordability challenges will remain for many Pakistanis. Nearly half of the country’s population lives below the lower-middle-income poverty threshold, making even reduced-cost sanitary products difficult to access for many families.

Meanwhile, the legal case that helped initiate the debate remains active. Following earlier court proceedings, the government submitted its response defending aspects of the existing taxation structure. Final arguments are expected in the coming months, and a judicial ruling could potentially lead to the complete removal of all remaining taxes and duties related to menstrual products.

If implemented, Pakistan would join a growing list of countries, including India, Nepal, Scotland, and several U.S. states, that have removed or significantly reduced taxes on menstrual products in an effort to promote gender equality and improve public health.

For advocates, the government’s latest announcement represents a major milestone in a broader movement aimed at ending period poverty, improving reproductive healthcare access, and ensuring that women and girls can participate fully and equally in society.

Courtesy: edition.cnn