UK to give 'tampon tax' proceeds to women's charities

Britain is give millions of pounds raised from a "tampon tax" to women's charities, including those tackling domestic violence, the government announced Wednesday.

Some 300,000 people have signed a petition in Britain saying that no sales tax should be charged on tampons and sanitary towels.

Prime Minister David Cameron's government says it already charges the lowest tax rate allowed under European law, five percent, and wants to get the rules changed.

But in the meantime, finance minister George Osborne announced during a budget update that the £15 million (21 million euros, $23 million) a year which comes in from the tax would be diverted to charities which benefit women.

"The first £5 million will be distributed between the Eve Appeal, Safe Lives and Women's Aid and The Haven—and I invite bids from other such good causes," Osborne told the House of Commons.

The Eve Appeal and The Haven are charities working with women who have cancer, while Safe Lives and Women's Aid focus on domestic violence.

Women's Aid says that, on average, two women in Britain are killed every week by a current or former male partner.

The Eve Appeal says that 21 British women per day die from gynaecological cancers.

© 2015 AFP