Girls’ Education Network (GEN) as part of the Happy School Girls project has called on government to abolish taxes on sanitary towels and any material used for sanitary pads.

In a statement released to mark International Day of the Girl (IDG), the gender advocacy group noted, menstrual hygiene was an integral part of hygiene, cleanliness and reproductive health to which every woman and girl has a right.

High cost of sanitary pads on the market, it said, was making it difficult for many females to get access to them.

Currently, there is a 20% tax on imported sanitary pads.

International Day of the Girl Child, mark October 11, is an international observance day declared by the United Nations.

According to the Happy School Girl Project, “As Ghana joins the world to observe this special day, we call on Government and other stakeholders to heed to our long lasting call of having the tax on sanitary towels removed as well as any material used to produce sanitary pads.

“Together let’s fight in ensuring that pads are tax free if not free of charge so that the girl feels confident to access, transit and complete her education without having to put a stop to it for reasons of menstruation and its related issues” part of the statement reads.

The theme for this year’s commemoration is “Girl force: Unscripted and unstoppable”.

The group explained that “Girls are proving they are unscripted and unstoppable, hence, the theme for IDGC 2019”