Pakistani Lawyer Challenges 40% Tax on Menstrual Pads

Mahnoor Omer believes basic health products shouldn't be treated as luxuries, and she's making her case in Pakistan's highest court.

The 25-year-old lawyer from Rawalpindi is challenging her government's taxation policy that adds up to 40% to the retail price of menstrual pads. The "period tax" has devastating real-world consequences: only 16% of women in rural Pakistan can afford to use pads, according to a recent Journal of Global Health study.

"It is disheartening that despite women serving as ministers, lawmakers and public representatives, gender-blind policies continue to pass without question," Omer told The Guardian. She's arguing that classifying period products as luxury goods violates women's constitutional rights to equality and dignity.

Omer's legal challenge is backed by Mahwari Justice, a student-led organization that delivers menstrual health products to girls in remote Pakistani communities. The group has witnessed firsthand how lack of access to affordable products disrupts education.

Their research shows that one in five girls miss school during menstruation. Over the course of their adolescence, that adds up to an entire academic year of lost education.

The Ripple Effect

In September 2025, Pakistan's high court advanced Omer's case, officially recognizing it raises serious constitutional questions about women's rights. The decision marks the first time the country's judicial system has formally acknowledged menstrual equity as a legal issue.

"For too long, this topic has been taboo and stigmatized, ignored to the point of nonexistence," Omer said after the ruling. Her case could set a precedent for menstrual product taxation across South Asia, where similar policies exist in multiple countries.

If successful, removing the tax would make period products affordable for millions of Pakistani women and keep thousands of girls in school. The case represents a growing global movement to eliminate "period taxes" that treat necessary health products as optional luxuries.

Omer's willingness to challenge taboos in court is breaking the silence that has protected discriminatory policies for decades.