Women’s Hygiene Not a Luxury

The financial barrier to ensuring menstrual hygiene is a literal crisis of affordability in our country. With a single sanitary napkin costing up to 14 Taka, a standard pack of 126 Taka is an impossible expense for a rural household. For millions of schoolgirls, the biology of womanhood forces a regression to unhygienic rags. This is not just a matter of discomfort; it is a systemic public health failure.

However, I consider myself extremely privileged to belong to the class of women who have always had the opportunity to buy and use pads. However, very few girls from a rural area can afford them. Even one of the cheapest packs of sanitary napkins costs 126 taka, which is quite high for them. The costing of sanitary napkins is due to a mix of two issues. One, the corporate profit margin of companies, and two, the tax placed on raw materials for production. The average net profit made by private companies is between 10% and 15%. Approximately 40-50 Tk is spent on the production of each pack. If the profit margin is kept a bit lower, the market price will go down. Additionally, when sanitary pads are imported from aboard, a huge amount of tax, including a 15% VAT, is added. Although there is no tax imposed directly on the sanitary pads produced locally, there is some hidden tax (7.5% advance tax and 27.5% standard corporate income tax) imposed on the raw materials that are used to make the sanitary products.
The families living in the rural areas spend a limited amount of money on their basic needs. Most of the girls coming from such families attend their local government schools, where they pay very little for their education. Therefore, spending an amount of Tk 200 monthly just on sanitary products is nothing but a luxury.
Rising awareness regarding the dangers of using alternative things for maintaining hygiene is comparatively easier, but ensuring that they are actually using the right product is tough. Responsible authorities should really give emphasis on the latter. A failure to ensure this hygiene is fuelling the cases of cervical cancer. According to a report of the National Institute of Health, cervical cancer is the second most common type of cancer found in females. Even though the usage of cloth does not directly cause cancer, it can lead to factors that increase the risk. The usage of cloth during the period can cause issues like UTIs, vaginal infections, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Due to PID and recurring UTIs, chronic inflammation can occur in the vagina, creating an ideal environment for the virus that causes cervical cancer to grow. Therefore, young females must be encouraged to use sanitary products properly.
With the course of time, the attitude towards menstruation is changing in society. Individuals aware of this matter introduce the idea of menstrual leave. Corporate giants like 10-Minute School and Berger Paints have introduced menstrual leave. Under this leave, individuals receive 12 days of paid leave throughout the year. However, there are still households where periods are considered a taboo. Menstruating girls are kept away from the kitchen.
 A period is no taboo. It is a natural physical change in women. And, being able to purchase and use sanitary products to ensure physical hygiene should not be limited to a certain group of privileged females but rather be an advantage every woman should have access to. The government should take steps to reduce the ‘pink tax’ that the private market is imposing on sanitary products, which will make it easier for everyone to access them.

The writer is with the Daily Sun team