Girls Speak Out on National Issues: A Call to End Tax on Sanitary Pads and Invest in Girls’ Rights

In a bold move to influence national discourse and policy, young girls’ rights activists Linda and Mary have taken their advocacy to the airwaves, calling on government and stakeholders to take decisive action on issues affecting girls and young women across the country.

As part of activities marking the International Day of the Girl Child, the two activists embarked on a media tour to amplify the voices of girls, articulate their concerns, and demand meaningful reforms that will improve the lives of girls and young women.

Affordable Menstruation Is a Human Rights Issue

At the heart of their advocacy was the high cost of sanitary pads, which continues to place an undue financial burden on families and limits many girls’ ability to manage menstruation with dignity.

Linda and Mary urged government to eliminate taxes on sanitary pads, describing them not as luxury items but as essential necessities. They stressed that making menstrual products more affordable would help keep girls in school, protect their health, and promote equality.

The girls also appealed to employers to consider introducing menstrual leave or flexible work arrangements for women and girls during their menstrual periods—an intervention they described as progressive, humane, and empowering.

“Reducing the burden of menstruation allows girls and women to show up confidently at school and work,” the activists emphasised during their media engagements.

Creating an Environment Where Girls Can Thrive

Beyond menstrual health, the media tour spotlighted the broader need for safe, supportive, and enabling environments for girls to grow, learn, and lead.

Speaking on the importance of sustained investment in girls, Esenam Ahiadorme, Gender and Influencing Specialist at Plan International Ghana, called for urgent action to prioritise girls’ education and dismantle harmful cultural beliefs and superstitions that continue to hold girls back.

“We must invest in girls and discard practices that hinder their development,” she stressed, adding that empowered girls are essential to national development.

Amplifying Girls’ Voices for Policy Change

The media tour, supported by Plan International Ghana, provided a critical platform for girls to speak directly to decision-makers and the public, demonstrating the power of youth-led advocacy in shaping national conversations.

By stepping into media spaces often dominated by adults, Linda and Mary reclaimed the narrative, proving that girls are not just beneficiaries of development but active agents of change.

The Call to Action

This advocacy sends a clear message:

Sanitary pads must be tax-free and accessible to all girls

Menstrual health should be recognised as a public and workplace issue

Harmful beliefs limiting girls’ potential must be challenged

Girls’ voices must be included in national policy discussions

When girls are heard, policies become fairer. When girls are supported, societies become stronger.

It is time to listen, act, and create a future where every girl can thrive with dignity, confidence, and equal opportunity.