A new article in Think Global Health calls for a gender levy on tobacco and alcohol taxes to fund gender-smart health, combat NCDs, and address the industry’s manipulation of gender norms.
A recent article in Think Global Health by Kent Buse, Jeni Klugman, and Elhadj As Sy proposes earmarking taxes from health-harming products like tobacco and alcohol to fund gender equity in health. The authors argue that industries have long exploited gender stereotypes to promote harmful products, disproportionately affecting women and underserved groups, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
From “feminised” alcohol branding to marketing cigarettes as symbols of liberation, gendered advertising fuels noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) while sidelining women in diagnosis and care. The piece spotlights examples from India, Kenya, and Nigeria where companies use targeted gendered tactics to expand consumption, often with little public accountability. Meanwhile, gender-focused public health funding remains chronically under-resourced.
To counter this, the authors call for a gender levy—using revenue from existing sin taxes to finance gender-sensitive health policies and data systems. Drawing from models like Thailand’s ThaiHealth Foundation and the UK’s Soft Drinks Industry Levy, they argue this approach could strengthen NCD prevention while promoting justice. As the authors put it: if industries can exploit gender for profit, governments can harness taxes to protect and empower.
