The Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu, recently organized a stakeholders briefing to discuss the need for the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on imported pads, the extension of maternity leave to six months, and the introduction of paternity leave to support newborn babies and breastfeeding mothers.
Sosu highlighted the challenges faced by women and girls, especially those in rural and deprived communities, due to the imposition of customs duty and import VAT on menstrual hygiene products. He emphasized the importance of providing affordable and accessible sanitary napkins and tampons to ensure good personal hygiene during menstruation.
During the briefing, attended by representatives from various organizations, Sosu proposed a Private Members Bill to amend sections of the Customs and Labour Bills. The proposed amendments aim to reduce customs duty and import VAT on sanitary towels, pads, tampons, baby products, and adult incontinence pads to zero percent, making them more affordable for women and girls in need.
Furthermore, stakeholders discussed the extension of maternity leave from the current 12 weeks to six months to align with recommendations from the World Health Organization for exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a newborn’s life. Additionally, the introduction of paternity leave was suggested to recognize the changing roles of men in childcare and support family bonding.
While challenges such as private sector support for longer maternity leave, continuous leave for men with multiple wives giving birth in the same year, and other issues were raised, stakeholders urged Sosu to work closely with drafters to address these challenges in the proposed Bill.
In conclusion, the stakeholders briefing emphasized the importance of supporting women’s health and well-being through policy changes that prioritize menstrual hygiene, extended maternity leave, and paternity leave to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for families in Ghana.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana
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