Kerala School Textbooks To Remove Words Disparaging Women

Following the public outrage over the over the alleged suicide of 24-year-old Ayurveda doctor in Kollam, Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has announced an amendment to starting at school levels. In a post on social media, Vijayan said that the state’s school textbooks would be revised to inculcate a culture of gender equality. “Kerala’s school text books will be revised and audited to sieve out words and phrases disparaging women. Steps will be taken to turn our schools and colleges into spaces that embrace the idea of gender equality and equal rights,” he tweeted.

In a previous Twitter thread, Vijayan announced that, Aparajitha, an online service that was earlier used to resolve cybercrimes against women, will now be used to submit complaints on offences against women, including cases of domestic abuse. “In light of the recent horrifying incidents of domestic abuse, Kerala has decided to take more stringent measures to create a fair society. The Government and the people will stand together to end this injustice,” he tweeted. “A fair society is that, which treats women and men as equals,” he said.

On Tuesday, 24-year-old Archana, who got married a year ago, allegedly immolated herself. According to her parents, her husband, Suresh, used to quarrel with his wife and had demanded money from the family. However, cases like these are not isolated. In another case at Vallikunnam in Alappuzha, 19-year-old Suchitra was found hanging in her marital home, and an investigation into the suicide is underway.