Did you know, Limited access to Menstrual Hygiene Management Products and Facilities is the 5th biggest Killer of Females in the World?, Shocking right! 

The average Woman who menstruates has their period for a cumulative 3-7 days of their life, uses between 10 to 35 pads and up to 16,800 products in the course of their lifetime at a cost of roughly $9,000. However, despite the role of Menstrual products in maintaining hygiene and health, many Cameroonians are unable to afford or otherwise lack access to this basic necessity and as result, some Women who menstruate have resorted to unsafe or unsanitary options, including the usage of clothes, dust, toilet paper, paper towels, Socks, used paper bags or a single pad for longer than the recommended time.This unaffordability has devastating medical consequences and may possibly result in urinary tract infections, Cervical Cancer, Vulvar contact dermatitis, Yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis etc. 

In Cameroon 51.5% of Women live below the poverty line of $2.15 in a day. This precarious situation is further worsened by Social and Economic barriers inhibiting access to menstrual hygiene products. This is especially evident with the vulnerable populations experiencing conflict in the North West and South West and other regions like the Northern Regions faced with the Boko Haram insurgency. It is therefore lamentable that inspite of these Challenges Women and Girls have continued to bear the brunt with indiscriminate increases in the prices of Sanitary pads. 

 A packet of the most basic disposable Sanitary pad in Cameroon cost as high as 600 FRS cfa and over 800 frs CFA in some rural communities which is approximately 1.5USD. Given that minimum wage is as low as 41,875 frs CFA, which is grossly insufficient to meet basic needs and even more dire in rural communities, the current situation necessitates an expeditious redress. 

In view of this, the National Coalition of Adolescent Girls and Young Women is calling on the Government of Cameroon to grant duty and tax concessions on Sanitary pad thereby reducing the market Prices and increasing affordability and Access.

The subsequent points justify this ask: 

1.) A tax on Sanitary Pad is a tax on Womanhood.

2.) Menstruation is not a luxury but a natural basic occurrence ascribed to females within the natural age which permits the process. 

3.) The current Economic State of Cameroon affected by the Socio-political crisis has rendered thousands vulnerable and made Sanitary pad less affordable for the Majority. 

3.) Menstrual Products in the form of Sanitary pads within the designated tax region are designed in Commensuration to health and Sanitary Considerations. In effect, the aforementioned menstrual Products are safer to reduce poor Menstrual hygiene and Menstruation related infections.Thereby counteracting the argument for alternatives. 

4.) Waiving the taxes on Sanitary Pad is imperative to accelerating the actualization of some of the SDGs; Goal 3 -Quality Education,Where according to studies, 1 in 3 Girls miss School every week because of inaffordability of Sanitary pad, Goal 5-Gender Equality and Goal - 10- Reduce inequalities. 

5.) Tax on Sanitary pad exacerbates period poverty and negatively impacts the quality of life of Women & Girls.

6. Unaffordability of Sanitary pads to hygienically Manage Menses during Menstruation, forsters low self esteem thereby voiding Women and Girls of confidence to effectively function in Society. 

7.) The difficulty of affording Menstraul products increases the chances of teenage pregnancy and rape where young Girls are vulnerable to dangerous coping Mechanisms in their quest to acquire a Sanitary pad. 

In consideration of the foregoing, We demand that all taxes on Menstraul products be reduced or waived.

We are therefore calling on you to make a difference by joining in our petition to #EndtheCmrtaxonpads.

For inquiries/Support/Partnerships contact: nationalcoalitionofagywincamer@gmail.com or call +237683742808-Ndum Charlotte Ayeah