CEO of inspire today foundation, Ms. Etornam Sey has called on government to reduce taxes on imported sanitary pads.
The call follows the recent celebration of Menstrual Hygiene Day, an annual event held on May 28th. The day is celebrated to raise awareness about menstruation and promote good menstrual hygiene practices, further highlighting the challenges that women and girls face global due to lack of access to menstrual products.
In an interview on Univers News, Ms. Sey explained the need for such taxes to be removed, citing the instances of improper menstrual hygiene and absenteeism from school as predicaments from lack of access to proper menstrual products.
“There is high amount of taxes currently levied on imported Sanitary pads. Sanitary pads are currently selling for Gh17 to Gh30. Most females in the deprived areas would resort to all other unhygienic forms of controlling the blood flow like using tissues, old rags and inferior pads. This may lead to increase in absenteeism in schools during this period due to discomfort with the materials being used. The reduction of taxes levied on imported sanitary pads would go a long way to improve the number of females in schools.”
She spoke further on the need to support needy girls in deprived areas who are not able to purchase sanitary pads.
“I have seen all levels of poverty. Some girls had to go to the extent of exchanging sex for Sanitary pads. That is why after I found a voice through journalism, I decided to embark on the inspire today foundation which sorts to stand on the three pillars of advocacy, education and social intervention to help young girls keep good menstrual hygiene through the provision of Sanitary pads, education on menstrual hygiene and advocate for more females in the classroom regardless of their monthly menstrual cycle.”
On the day dedicated for menstrual hygiene, Ms. Sey stressed on some misconceptions about menstrual hygiene and the need to change the narrative.
“Many people are of the view that when a lady is menstruating, it is a dirty thing. She is therefore not allowed to cook and share personal belongings such as buckets.
This makes them feel insecure; the narrative therefore must be changed as swiftly as possible especially in this age and time as no one should be made to feel bad for their biological makeup.”
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Story by: JisLord Naaa Ablorh | univers.ug.edu.gh
