In a major transfer to handle menstrual health challenges amongst schoolgirls, the Mahama-led administration has introduced the supply of free sanitary pads for feminine college students throughout Ghana. This initiative was first pledged by President John Dramani Mahama throughout his State of the Nation Deal with (SONA) 2025, underscoring his authorities’s dedication to selling menstrual hygiene and making certain that no lady misses faculty as a result of lack of sanitary merchandise.
Following via on this promise, Finance Minister Hon. Casiel Ato Forson right now revealed throughout the nationwide finances presentation in Parliament that the federal government has allotted GHS 292.4 million to kickstart the distribution of free sanitary pads.
Addressing a Longstanding Problem
For years, younger ladies, significantly these in rural and economically deprived communities, have struggled to afford sanitary pads as a result of excessive prices pushed by heavy taxation and low family incomes. Consequently, many are pressured to resort to unhygienic options, rising their danger of infections and different well being issues. Moreover, the lack to entry sanitary merchandise has contributed to excessive charges of absenteeism, as ladies steadily miss faculty throughout their menstrual cycles.
The price of sanitary pads in Ghana has been a topic of public debate and advocacy, with civil society organisations and girls’s rights teams calling for the removing of taxes on menstrual hygiene merchandise to make them extra inexpensive.
Beforehand, the taxation system imposed a complete of 32.5% in taxes on imported sanitary pads, damaged down as follows:
This classification, which categorised sanitary merchandise as “miscellaneous manufactured articles” underneath the Harmonised System Code 9619001000, considerably inflated retail costs. An ordinary pack of sanitary pads presently prices between GHS 20 and GHS 40, making them prohibitively costly for a lot of Ghanaian households.
A Step In direction of Fairness in Training
By funding the free distribution of sanitary pads, the Mahama administration is taking a daring step in direction of gender fairness in training, making certain that no lady’s educational progress is hindered by an absence of entry to menstrual hygiene merchandise. This coverage is predicted to:
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Enhance faculty attendance amongst feminine college students.
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Cut back well being dangers related to poor menstrual hygiene.
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Alleviate monetary burdens on low-income households.
The allocation of GHS 292.4 million marks a historic funding within the well-being and training of Ghanaian ladies. Nevertheless, many proceed to name for the whole removing of taxes on sanitary merchandise, arguing that menstrual hygiene is a necessity, not a luxurious.
With this initiative set to roll out, stakeholders shall be watching intently to make sure efficient implementation and equitable distribution, making certain that the coverage actually advantages those that want it most.
