Pakistan Scraps 18% Sales Tax on Menstrual Products and Contraceptives
Updated
Updated · NPR · Jun 17
Pakistan Scraps 18% Sales Tax on Menstrual Products and Contraceptives
2 articles · Updated · NPR · Jun 17
Summary
Pakistan’s new budget removed the 18% sales tax on menstrual products and contraceptives, ending a levy activists had criticized as a tax on essential health goods.
The change follows years of pressure over the cost burden on women and families, with campaigners arguing pads and birth control should not be treated as luxury items.
Prices may not fall immediately, because retailers and supply chains will determine how much of the tax cut reaches consumers.
The move marks a policy shift in a country where access and affordability of reproductive and menstrual health products have been a persistent concern.