A Young Lawyer Challenges an Unjust Tax
In Pakistan, where conversations about menstruation are often silenced by cultural taboos, 25-year-old lawyer Mahnoor Omer has taken a bold step toward change. Omer has filed a petition in the Lahore High Court challenging the heavy taxation on sanitary products—what she calls a “period tax.”
Under Pakistan’s Sales Tax Act of 1990, locally manufactured sanitary pads face an 18% tax, while imported ones are hit with an additional 25% customs duty. When combined with other charges, these products are taxed at nearly 40%, making menstrual hygiene a costly necessity in a country where the average income is only around $120 per month.
Omer argues that this tax is discriminatory, violating constitutional guarantees of equality and social justice. Her case highlights how women in Pakistan are effectively penalized for a biological function.
The Hidden Cost of Menstruation
According to UNICEF, only 12% of Pakistani women can afford commercial sanitary pads. The rest rely on cloth or other unsafe materials, often without access to clean water. A pack of pads costs around 450 rupees ($1.60) — the equivalent of a family meal for many low-income households.
Critics say the “period tax” deepens gender inequality by making hygiene inaccessible. “With these inflated prices, women are forced to compromise on their health,” says Hira Amjad, founder of the Dastak Foundation, which works for gender equality. Removing these taxes, she argues, would improve women’s health, school attendance, and overall wellbeing.
Breaking the Stigma
The fight is not just about economics — it’s also about dignity and awareness. Activists like Bushra Mahnoor, founder of Mahwari Justice, have been pushing to normalize conversations about menstruation. Her organization distributes menstrual kits and runs creative campaigns to teach that “it’s not shameful — it’s just life.”
Both Mahnoor and Omer aim to make menstruation management accessible and to end the silence that has long surrounded it in Pakistan’s schools, homes, and workplaces.
A Step Toward Justice
Omer’s legal challenge is symbolic of a larger movement for menstrual justice. As other countries like India, Nepal, and the UK have abolished their period taxes, Pakistan now faces pressure to follow suit.
“For me, this case isn’t just about pads — it’s about justice,” Omer says. “It’s about telling women they deserve dignity without being taxed for it.”
