“These items are essential for maintaining reproductive health and must be both accessible and affordable,”
Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) urged the government to reconsider imposing Value Added Tax (VAT) on menstrual hygiene products, citing gender justice principles and human rights obligations.
“Taxing menstrual products is a gender-biased policy, as it fails to account for the specific needs of women in exercising their reproductive health rights,” Komnas Perempuan Deputy Chair Dahlia Madanih said in Jakarta, on Monday.
“Given the large female population, the state should implement policies that ensure women have access to reproductive health necessities, rather than imposing an additional economic burden for an unavoidable biological reality,” she said.
Komnas Perempuan expressed regret over the taxation of menstrual products, a practice commonly referred to as a “tampon tax” or “period tax.”
The commission argues that the tax, stipulated under Finance Minister Regulation No. 131/2024 with an effective VAT rate of 11 percent, fails to consider women’s reproductive health needs.
Madanih noted that the issue must be viewed within the context of Indonesia’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 1: ending poverty.
She explained that many women face “period poverty,” defined as a lack of access to adequate menstrual products, sanitation facilities, clean water, and health education due to economic and social barriers.
“The need for menstrual products extends beyond sanitary pads used during menstruation; it also encompasses products required for other reproductive health situations, such as the postpartum period, instances of abnormal bleeding, or miscarriage,” Madanih said.
“These items are essential for maintaining reproductive health and must be both accessible and affordable,” she added.
Translator: Anita Permata Dewi, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Arie Novarina
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