The country’s tax burden is shifting from corporations to households. Poor and middle-class women and their families are hit harder as they pay VAT and excise taxes on basic household expenses like fuel, electricity, food and transport.

That’s because consumption taxes like VAT and excise taxes are regressive, taking a bigger share of their already limited incomes than from the wealthy. These women and their families can get relief from a progressive tax system that cuts VAT and excise taxes while taxing the rich and big corporations more.