‘Period poverty’ issue: Mr. Speaker has shown the way, but will MPs follow his lead?

On Friday, June 23, 2023, the front-page banner headline of the Daily Graphic must have been music to the ears of anti- ‘Period Poverty’ campaigners. The emphatic quote, “Taxes on sanitary pads unfair, Speaker of Parliament asserts” certainly made my day
.
There was an even more dramatic front page headline in the Daily Searchlight of that same date: “Imposing taxes on sanitary pads was a cardinal sin – Bagbin”.
‘Period Poverty’ (PP) is the situation where girls and women from a deprived background are too poor to afford hygienic sanitary products needed to protect themselves during their menstruation.

The taxes blamed for the escalating prices are 12.5 percent VAT and 20 percent import duty. In my opinion, Speaker Alban Bagbin, deserves a standing ovation for his unequivocal support for removing the taxes. Briefing Parliament about a petition to the House by anti-Period Poverty protestors, he said “the passage of laws by Parliament to impose the tax on sanitary pads was “unconscionable and a cardinal sin.”

Therefore, “we have to take immediate action … to take it off …. This house should not have allowed it at all,” he added.

But for the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), which insists that the taxes should remain, I have this question: “How many affluent parents and guardians would be happy if their child had to miss 60 days out of the school year through no fault of theirs?”

That was a question I posed in a 2016 article on this subject on another platform. As indicated, my advocacy is not new.

However, this is the first time a person of the stature of the Honourable Speaker of Parliament has not only taken an interest in the PP issue, and, even more encouraging, shown his readiness to help bring about the needed change.

My explanation that followed the 2016 question was: “Well, that is the disquieting estimated number of days some adolescent schoolgirls absent themselves from school for a simple reason: when they’re menstruating they stay home because they don’t have sanitary pads to protect themselves.”

I believe that the above explanation still applies, following a bewildering AGI news release issued on June 23. The AGI release appeared to be a response to an article by this writer published online on June 20, 2023, under the headline “Ending ‘period poverty’: after years of the advocacy, will the Government take action?”

My article reiterated the message of PP activists, that the Government needs to abolish the taxes on sanitary pads, to make them affordable, as well as consider launching a free sanitary pads distribution programme, starting with schoolgirls.

I also stated: “Unfortunately, we’re not hearing from the Government, or from Parliament. Yet, evidently, they are the ones who can act to solve the PP problem.”

Additionally, who better to champion the objective on behalf of girls and women, than the ministries of Education and Gender? But, unfortunately, their voices have been missing from the discourse.

Interestingly, following my June 20 online publication, as if on cue, on Thursday, June 22, 2023, the Women’s Wing of the Socialist Movement of Ghana and others went on a demonstration to urge the removal of the taxes on sanitary products. They marched to Parliament House to present a petition to the Speaker.

Among the stirring messages on their placards were: “Period poverty hinders girls education", "scrap period taxes", “The 20% Tax and 12.5% VAT is an injustice against menstruating women and girls, and stop the period taxes”.

I dare to believe that it was my June 20 online publication that reignited the discussion and sparked the protest and petition; as well as the continuing debate.

Nevertheless, it was with utter disbelief that I had read the AGI release warning that “the call for the removal of duties on imported sanitary pad (sic) was misplaced.” Signed by AGI Chief Executive, Seth Twum-Akwaboah, it added:
“Any policy measure by the Government that seeks to remove taxes on imported sanitary pads at the expense of local manufacturers of the products will be very detrimental to the economy.

“Our young women deserve affordable sanitary pads but granting tax waivers on imported sanitary pads is not the way to go.”

“We caution the Government not to play to the gallery, but rather stay focused on its industrial transformation agenda by incentivising local manufacturers rather than imports,” the AGI argued.

I find the AGI stance highly disappointing. Of course one expects the AGI to protect local industry. But I had thought they would be asking the Government to remove the taxes and give local manufacturers the contract to produce the items, but paid for by the Government and distributed 'free of charge' to schoolgirls.

Instead, clearly the AGI is not worried that the central issues are 'poverty' and 'affordability'; that huge numbers of girls and women suffer PP stress every blessed month.

Secondly, incredibly, the AGI seems to think that it’s only “our young women” who have period poverty issues!

Furthermore, advising the government “not to play to the gallery” points to a lack of concern for the poor. Does the Association mean that if the government should listen to the long-standing appeal of activists it would not be a prudent decision?

Clearly, solving PP has to be seen as another priority for the government!
Fortunately, it’s not every organisation that shares the regrettable AGI position.

Refreshingly, the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has demonstrated a
commendably different stand.

“It is morally right” to discard the taxes on period products, Dr Joseph Obeng, President of GUTA said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency. Consequently, “he called on the Government to immediately take steps to remove taxes on sanitary pads.”

As I stated in my June 20 article, “it goes without saying that menstruation is not by choice; and it’s an essential factor in the survival of the human race.” Therefore, society owes women empathy and such subsidies.

Four African countries – Kenya, South Africa, Botswana and Zambia – reportedly provide free period products. Why can’t pacesetting Ghana consult them to find out how they did it?

My hope is that the next development in this saga will be that some Honourable Members have introduced a Private Member’s Bill not only to abolish the taxes, but, also to start supplying free sanitary pads to schoolgirls – as a first step.

But, of course, better still would be marvellous news that the Government itself has taken the necessary steps to annul the taxes. Now that the Speaker himself has shown such empathy for ending the PP torment and support for removing the taxes, it seems to me that it is time to move the PP discussion to the floor of
Parliament.

And I believe that both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection need to add their considerable influence to this crusade.

Certainly any Members of Parliament who champion this tremendously worthy, humanitarian cause, would be earning the eternal gratitude of girls and underprivileged women in Ghana now, and even that of generations unborn!