Activist’s battle against period tax earns global recognition
• Pakistani activist recognised alongside 16 global figures as TIME’s Women of the Year 2026
• Shares honour with filmmaker Zhao, Olympian McLaughlin-Levrone
ISLAMABAD: Women’s rights activist Mahnoor Omer took the State to court in September by filing a petition challenging the imposition of taxes on menstrual products which penalise women for “a biological function over which they have no control”.
Her efforts have earned her a place among a group of 16 activists, artists, athletes, and businesswomen who have been recognised as TIME’s Women of the Year for 2026.
She joins other notable women, including Oscar-nominated filmmaker Chloe Zhao and Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
According to her profile in the magazine, Omer’s activism began at an early age. She founded the Noor Foundation at just 14 years old, running workshops educating girls in villages about topics ranging from sexual education to climate change.
At 16, a conversation about the price of menstrual products led her to discover just how sparsely they were used in the country — only around 12 per cent of women in Pakistan use products such as sanitary pads and tampons.
This prompted the 25-year-old activist to petition the Lahore High Court to declare feminine hygiene products as “essential goods” and remove the 40 pc tax burden on their retail prices.
In her petition, Omer argued that the taxes imposed were “inherently discriminatory” and in violation of Articles 9 (security of person), 14 (inviolability of dignity), 25 (equality of citizens), and 38 (promotion of social and economic well-being of the people) of the Constitution of Pakistan.
Period poverty — the lack of access to hygiene, waste management, and education related to menstruation — the petition claimed, is causing girls to miss school and making women stay out of the workforce. In a post acknowledging her recognition by the magazine, Omer said she was “deeply grateful for this honour”. She said that she hoped “this recognition reflects the limitless potential of Pakistani women” and that “while there is still a long journey ahead in ensuring equal opportunities for all, moments like this remind us of how far we have come and how much further we can go.”
Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2026