Action aid-Liberia and Partners have called on the Government of Liberia to give duty-free to businesses in the importation of sanitary materials in line with the Gender Responses Public Service (GPRS) signed by the government of Liberia in 2016
The Gender-response public services are quality public services that meet women’s needs and are of major importance to the achievement of gender equality and to ending violence and harassment against women in the world of work particularly relevant to goal five of the SDGs.
The call was made on Thursday, May 26, 2022, during the observance of menstrual hygiene day which is celebrated on the 28th of May each year to increase access and affordability of sanitary dignity kits.
The press statement was read in an open space on Broad and Michelin streets to safeguard the rights of women and girls by making sanitary kits affordable and accessible.
Women and girls are open to treats of getting diseases for the lack of accessing affordable sanitary kits across the universe with Liberia been of no exception. It at times leads them to use clothes that are not properly taken care of and sometimes causes problems in their relationships and marriages by getting infections of different kinds without a trace.
The group called the government of Liberia and other international partners to create an environment where every woman or girl can easily access a pack of sanitary pads during menstruation so they do not have to go through all the stress or girls missing out on their lessons because of menstruation.
The many organizations under the rain dominantly women and girls in their reds representing the symbol of blood believed with a joint effort from the government, private institutions, churches, mosques, and schools will see a great change in the well-being of women and girls and will also increase their participation in politics and other religious gatherings.
Since it is the so responsibility of the legislature to allocate budget to different ministries and agencies of government, they want a portion of the government funds to be diverted to buying sanitary kits to be placed in bathrooms of public buildings for women and girls visiting the entity to have easy access to a pad whenever they are in their time to avoid embarrassment.
Few recommendations made to the Government of Liberia and other international partners include: Increasing gender budgeting with a specific focus on producing sanitary dignity services, making importation of sanitary pads duty-free and the compulsory removal of all related taxes on sanitary and dignity kits for all women and girls in Liberia, make sanitary pads available in all public and private spaces, ensure the provision of adequate safe space with clean and hygienic washing facility where women and girls can safely change when in their periods and encourage the production of sanitary pads in Liberia
The joint press statement sponsored by Action aid-Liberia was read by Monica Cee from Free Afrik one of the partnering organizations.
Reported by: Andrew C. Johnson
Contacts: +231 777129899/881771803
