India's top court releases language usage handbook against gender stereotypes

NEW DELHI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- India's top court on Wednesday announced the release of a handbook of language usage to combat gender stereotypes about women in legal proceedings.

The handbook available on the website of the Supreme Court of India is aimed at assisting judges and the legal community in identifying, understanding and combating gender stereotypes about women.

It lists the words deemed as stereotype-promoting language and offers alternative language for them.

"It contains a glossary of gender-unjust terms and suggests alternative words or phrases which may be used while drafting pleadings as well as orders and judgments," read the forward written by Chief Justice of India (CJI), D. Y. Chandrachud.

"The handbook identifies common stereotypes about women, many of which have been utilized by courts in the past and demonstrates why they are inaccurate and how they may distort the application of the law," Chandrachud wrote.