Kazakhstan Petition Calls for VAT Removal on Feminine Hygiene Products

A petition calling for the abolition of value-added tax on feminine hygiene products is gaining support in Kazakhstan, Orda.kz reports.

After VAT was removed from medicines and medical services, Kazakhstanis began asking why essential products for half the country’s population are still treated as taxable goods. A petition on epetition.kz calls for the removal of 12% VAT on pads and tampons.

Menstruation is a physiological process that cannot be put on pause. The tax on hygiene products is effectively a ‘gender tax,’petition author Medina Maysar said.

Amid inflation, quality hygiene products have become a financial burden for many women in Kazakhstan, especially those living in rural areas or large families. In recent years, the so-called “tampon tax” has been abolished in parts of Europe, as well as in Canada, Australia, and many US states.

Supporters of the reform in Kazakhstan say the move would show that the state is listening to women’s concerns.

The petition is currently collecting signatures. Under Kazakh law, it must receive 50,000 signatures within six months for the government to officially consider it.

Original author: Eva Golovintseva

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