World Menstruation Day: I Can Barely Buy Food, How Can I Buy Pads?

Menstrual hygiene habits can act as an indicator of social and economic status for women.

(Photo: The Quint/ Rhythm Seth)

Video Editor: Hitesh Singh

Cameraperson: Ritwik Sarkar & Papri Das

While introducing India to Goods and Services Tax (GST), the GST Council stuck with 12 percent tax on sanitary napkins and tampons, even as it revised the tax structure of several other items.

This led to the ongoing Lahu Ka Lagaan campaign, appealing Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to make tampons and sanitary pads tax free.

One of the arguments that has been thrown into the discussion is that Indian women don’t use sanitary pads enough. Some people feel pads are a luxury and should be a personal choice. All sides of the debate have used stats and figures to support their stance.

The Quint takes a look beyond the numbers, with voices of a few women in and around Noida, trying to understand what shapes their menstrual hygiene habits.

(This story was first published on June 2017 and has been re-posted from The Quint's archives to mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day.)