Photo: Masixole Feni/GroundUp
Many girls routinely skip up to a week of school every
month because they don't have sanitary pads.
By Gadiosa Lamtey
Dar
es Salaam — Tanzanian women are expected to save a minimum of Sh7,000
per year following the scrapping of Value Added Tax (VAT) on sanitary
pads, which is slightly more than 15 per cent.
The Citizen
calculation shows that one women spends at least Sh36,000 inclusive of
VAT per year on buying the sanitary pads, but following the government's
decision, they will now be spending Sh29,232 only. The calculation was
based on average 144 sanitary pads pieces used by one woman per year or
three pieces per day at a retail price of Sh2,000 per pack.
The Msichana
Initiative founder and executive director, Ms Rebeca Gyumi, commended
the government's decision saying VAT was forcing the prices of the
sanitary pads to go up.
"Prices were high
because manufacturers had to pay VAT when importing materials. However,
the sanitary pads prices will certainly go down now. We are also
planning to meet various manufacturers and discuss issues pertaining to
the product," said Ms Gyumi
She said a discount
of 18 per cent per pack will make the sanitary pads affordable for poor
women and girls. According to her, discussions are needed between women
rights advocacy groups and manufacturers to determine how cheaper they
can sold.
Ms Gyumi added:
"There is, however, still a challenge for manufacturers because we doubt
that they may start producing substandard products to maximise profits
that's why we want to meet them."
The plan to scrap
VAT on the sanitary pads was announced by the minister for Finance and
Planning, Dr Phillip Mpango, when tabling the proposed budget for the
2018/19 financial year last week. Special Seats MP (Chadema) Upendo
Peneza told The Citizen that the effort made by government to scrap VAT
was commendable, but more efforts should be made to ensure that the low
income women also benefit.
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