Self Love Foundation, an NGO championing women’s rights, has added its voice to calls for government to waive taxes on the importation of sanitary pads to increase access to the product.

Hillary Ekuoba Gyasi, President of the Foundation who made the call, applauded the Gender Minister, Sarah Adwoa Safo, to spearhead the tax waiver campaign on sanitary pads.

Speaking on the sidelines of a relationship seminar organised by the Chaplaincy Council of the Obuasi Campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, removing taxes on sanitary pads would make it affordable and improve menstrual hygiene among girls.

She said the high cost of sanitary pads was impeding the education of most girls from low-income families, especially in rural areas, where it was common for girls to stay out of school during menstruation.

This, she said, must not be allowed to prevail and called for policy interventions to address the problem.

She said the foundation was partnering with another NGO to procure menstrual cups for distribution to deserving girls as its contribution to keep girls who could not afford sanitary pads in school.

Ms Sally Osei Tieku, Vice President of the Foundation spoke against stigmatisation of menstruating girls, saying the practice had left many girls with low self-esteem.

She said women only go through hormonal changes during menstruation and urged men to support women during their menstrual period.

The Foundation, she said, had stepped up education on preparation towards menstruation, menstrual hygiene and disposal of used sanitary pads to improve menstrual hygiene among girls.