Taxed as Luxury: The Fight for Affordable Periods in Pakistan

Bushra Mahnoor leads a campaign to end Pakistan's "luxury" tax on menstrual pads. She knows the struggle firsthand. As a teenager, she felt deep shame when she could not afford the pads she needed. This experience drives her work today. In Pakistan, menstrual pads are taxed at 17%. The government classifies them as non-essential, or luxury, items. This makes them too expensive for many women and girls. Mahnoor's campaign, called "Aurat Raaj," argues that pads are a basic necessity. It pushes for their tax rate to be lowered to 0%. The goal is to make them accessible to all. The campaign states that high prices force women to use unsafe alternatives. These can cause health risks. Activists say removing the tax is a crucial step for public health and gender equality.