# Pakistan Moves to Lower Period Tax, Yet Affordability Crisis Persists
Pakistan's government announced plans to cut the sales tax on menstrual products from 18 percent to a lower rate, marking a victory for activists who have campaigned against what they call a "period tax." Yet this reduction addresses only part of a deeper crisis in menstrual health access across the country.
Currently, just 12 percent of women and girls in Pakistan use safe, commercially-made menstrual products. The vast majority rely on alternatives like cloth, ash, or newspaper, practices that increase infection risks and limit girls' ability to attend school. The high tax burden compounds an already severe affordability problem for low-income families.
Activists welcomed the government's move to reduce taxation on these essential hygiene items. Menstrual products carry VAT like other goods, but health advocates argue they should be treated differently given their basic health necessity. The 18 percent tax made branded pads and tampons inaccessible to millions of poor Pakistani women, forcing reliance on unsafe methods.
However, the tax cut alone will not solve the access problem. Even with reduced taxation, the baseline cost of quality menstrual products remains out of reach for Pakistan's poorest families. The country's median household income is low, and menstrual health competes with food, housing, and education for limited household budgets.
Experts point to a multi-pronged approach as necessary. Subsidized or free products through schools and public health clinics, combined with lower taxes, could meaningfully expand access. Education campaigns addressing the stigma around menstruation also remain critical, as cultural factors discourage open discussion and product awareness.
The tax reduction represents progress in recognizing menstrual products as essential healthcare, not luxury items. Yet Pakistan's poorest women and girls will likely continue facing barriers until government action extends beyond taxation policy