Buying menstrual products to promote women's education
Indian acting finance minister peyush? Gauillard attended the meeting of Goods and Services Tax Committee in the capital New Delhi on February1,and announced the cancellation of import tariffs on sanitary napkins at the press conference after the meeting. Prior to this, according to the Goods and Services Tax implemented by India in July 20 17, the import tax rate of sanitary napkins was 12%.
Gauillard said: "I believe all mothers and sisters will be very happy to hear that sanitary napkins are now 100% duty-free."
Some women's rights protection groups in India estimate that about 80% of women in India can't use sanitary napkins during menstruation. Due to the lack of sanitary products and school toilets, many girls can't go to school during menstruation, which has become one of the main factors for women to drop out of school.
In rural India, some women lack health knowledge. Because sanitary napkins are too expensive to buy, we have to use old clothes or cloth strips, which increases the risk of infection and illness.
According to women's rights protection groups, the cancellation of import tariffs on sanitary napkins by the Indian government will help more women to afford menstrual hygiene products and remove a major obstacle for women to go to school and get employment.
400,000 people petitioned for tariff reduction.
In order to reduce the tariff on sanitary napkins, the Indian people and a number of rights groups ran around and launched a petition. They think sanitary napkins and condoms are also necessities of life, and tariffs should be zero. The government has set the import tax rate of sanitary napkins at 12%, which is equivalent to classifying sanitary napkins as luxury goods.
Last year, Congressman Sushmita? Dev launched a petition on the internet, calling on the government to reduce the tariff on sanitary napkins, and won more than 400,000 signatures.
At the beginning of this year, the first Bollywood film "Pad Man" with the theme of menstrual hygiene was released, which triggered a heated discussion. Akshay, the hero of this film? Kumar joined a group advocating menstrual hygiene and advocated more women to use sanitary napkins.
Amar, the founder of this group? Tours Yan said that the news that the Indian government cancelled the tariff on sanitary napkins was "a great victory for all". According to him, 82% of women in India cannot use sanitary napkins, and the tax exemption measures can be described as "significant benefits".
Surbish, head of a foundation in India aimed at enhancing women's awareness of menstrual hygiene? Singh said: "this is a long-awaited necessary measure to help women stay in school and work ... it will help them grow up and show their true potential."