Mahnoor Omer Takes Bold Legal Step Against Pakistan's 'Period Tax'

At 25, Mahnoor Omer, a lawyer and women’s rights advocate, has taken a bold legal step to end what she calls Pakistan’s discriminatory “period tax.”

In September 2025, she filed a petition at the High Court of Lahore challenging taxes that raise the cost of sanitary pads by nearly 40 percent, making them unaffordable for millions of women.

Growing up in Rawalpindi, Mahnoor recalls hiding sanitary pads at school to avoid stigma. Those early experiences inspired her to act. Her petition argues that taxing menstrual products violates constitutional rights to equality and dignity. Under the Sales Tax Act of 1990, locally made pads face an 18 percent tax, while imported ones and raw materials face up to 25 percent in customs duties.

According to UNICEF and WaterAid, only 12 percent of Pakistani women use commercial sanitary pads, with most relying on unsafe alternatives. Activists say removing these taxes could improve menstrual health, school attendance, and gender equality.

Mahnoor’s case, supported by organizations like DASTAK Foundation, has sparked a national conversation about women’s rights and social justice. “It’s not just about affordability,” she says. “It’s about dignity and fairness.”

Currently pursuing a Master’s in Gender, Peace, and Security at the The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Mahnoor plans to return to Pakistan to continue her advocacy. Her parents, once hesitant, now stand proudly beside her as she leads a cause that challenges both policy and prejudice.

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