Transforming adolescent menstrual health through policy: the role of value added tax exemptions in improving access to sanitary products

Shomuyiwa, Deborah Oluwaseun, Odey, Goodness Ogeyi, Ndep, Antor Odu, Ekerin, Olabode, Amesho, Josephine Ndapewoshali, Luvindao, Esperance, Manirambona, Emery and Lucero-Prisno, Don Eliseo (2024) Transforming adolescent menstrual health through policy: the role of value added tax exemptions in improving access to sanitary products. Global Health Research and Policy, 9 (1). ISSN 2397-0642

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Abstract

In Namibia, the Value Added Tax (VAT) Amendment Act 2022, which reclassified the supply of sanitary pads as zero-rated, has significant implications for adolescent girls’ menstrual health and education. The policy change responds to the need to address period poverty by making essential menstrual products more accessible and affordable. Menstruation is a normal biological process, and access to sanitary products is a human right. Taxing menstrual products reinforces gender inequalities and raises concerns about the basic rights and dignity of women and girls. The VAT-free policy creates a system to reduce the financial burden on girls and women, making it easier for them to manage their periods safely and with dignity. It has the potential to reduce absenteeism from school, ultimately improving educational outcomes for adolescent girls. However, VAT exemptions alone are insufficient to address the broader accessibility issues that impact menstrual hygiene. Evidence-based policies that focus on the availability and affordability of a full range of sanitary products, in conjunction with regulatory mechanisms for price and quality control, are necessary to ensure that menstrual products are safe, affordable, and accessible for all.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://ghrp.biomedcentral.com/
Additional Information:	© 2024 The Author(s).
Divisions:	Health Policy
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine H Social Sciences
Date Deposited:	17 Jun 2024 15:36
Last Modified:	24 Jun 2024 16:30
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/123896

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