Sanitary pads’ prices still high in Rwanda despite VAT exemption

Rwandan women and girls struggle to find menstruation hygiene products, because the prices of sanitary pads remain high despite the government’s tax exemption.

On May 28, 2024, various institutions celebrated International Menstruation Hygiene Day in collaboration with AHF Rwanda.

Some women and girls are experiencing difficulties to obtain monthly sanitary pads due to the lack of change in taxation since the supposed removal of taxes.

They also lack adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management like clean water and toilets.

Ishimwe, a 22-year-old Rwandese, cannot afford to buy what she needs when she’s on her period.

“We were an average family and we could afford sanitary pads so I believed it was the same for other families”, She says.

Previously, she couldn’t afford to meet the cost of sanitary pads when they cost Rfw 1000 per pack.

However, after the government removed taxes on sanitary products, a packet of pads now still costs Rfw 1000, pushing them out of her reach.

Yassina Igihozo, SRHR and Gender Team Leader RNGOS on HIV/ AIDS & H.P, says that “Period poverty is not a women’s issue, it’s a societal issue”.

“The education system for all cannot be fully achieved when girls skip school for five days each month due to a lack of sanitary pads during their period.” She says.

Igihozo added that everyone who menstruates should have the ability to manage their periods with dignity and privacy.

Patience Murungi, Advocacy Policy and Marketing Manager at AHF Rwanda, says that Empowering Women, ensuring menstrual health and hygiene, is crucial for preventing infections and promoting overall well-being.

“Together, we can create change! combating period poverty, and breaking the harmful stigma that holds back women and menstruating individuals of all ages from thriving.”

Dr. Francois Regis Cyiza, Director of Health Facilities Programmes Unit-Maternal Child and Community Health Division at RBC, says that the government has attempted to decrease the cost of sanitary pads, even after deducting VAT tax, but traders continue to steal from the public.

He emphasized the need for institutional cooperation to encourage traders to lower ‘cotex’ prices, citing the government’s significant move in eliminating VAT.

” Today is a good day to remind that we need to do advocacy again so that this decision becomes a law and remind the MPs that these things never happened.” Dr Cyiza says.

Across Rwanda, and the Africa, lack of access to menstrual hygiene products due to high cost or because they’re not available in rural or remote areas has had a huge impact on hundreds of women and girls.