CHP MP submits proposal to reduce VAT on female hygiene products

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Sera Kadıgil on Feb. 14 submitted a legislative proposal aiming to reduce the 18 percent value added tax on menstrual products to 5 percent.

“We do not want to pay taxes just because we are menstruating,” said Kadıgil.

According to the figures the lawmaker provided, a woman on average menstruates 2,535 days in her life, which corresponds to almost seven years.

“A calculation made in the U.K. shows that a woman has to work 38 days during her life time in order to buy these hygiene products,” she said.

Kadıgil also stressed that many countries in the world have reduced the tax collected from these hygiene products, referred to as “tampon tax,” and adjustments regarding this should be made in Turkey as well.

“The European Union decided in 2007 for member states to reduce taxes on these hygiene products down to 5 percent. Many states of the United States have decided to remove the tampon tax,” she said.

Canada and India on the other hand abolished the “tampon” tax fully as of July 2018, Kadıgil said.

“In our country, arrangements should be made in accordance with the era and social equality and the unprecedented tax burden on hygiene products should be reduced,” she said.