Chairperson Indrani Iriyagolle said: "The section in the JVP-SLFP Alliance manifesto entitled 'Women and Children' was an insult to women"."They had nothing concrete to say about women's rights, about how to solve women's problems and what action they would take" she said. "The JVP-SLFP Alliance has five short sections on Women and Children.

Each section talks about special attention, special provisions or special measures but absolutely nothing to say how they would solve the problems identified. If they think that this was the limit of the needs of women in Sri Lanka, then all women should be seriously worried," she continued.

"This pathetic attempt to win women's votes was in stark contrast to the detailed Bill which the UNF was about to put before Parliament when the President ruined our plans by calling this unnecessary election. She must take responsibility for this delay," she said.

"The UNF Bill was comprehensive and has been prepared after a detailed consultation with a wide range of women. Unlike the JVP-SLFP Alliance manifesto which looks like it has been drawn up by a committee of patronising men," said Indrani Iriyagolle.

"If this was the best, the JVP-SLFP Alliance could do, then I urge every woman to vote for the United National Party which has not only taken the interests of women seriously, but would also pass the Women's Rights Bill through Parliament as soon as they were re-elected," she concluded.