Quick answer
Yes. Hansa Mehta, India's delegate to the UN Commission on Human Rights in 1947–48, is widely credited with changing the opening of Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) from "All men are born free and equal" to "All human beings are born free and equal". The change made it clear that the Declaration's promise of equal dignity includes women. The UDHR itself, adopted on 10 December 1948, is a declaration and not a treaty, so it was not legally binding when adopted; its principles bind States today mainly through treaties, customary international law and national constitutions.
The text and the change
The UN General Assembly adopted the UDHR in Paris on 10 December 1948 by resolution 217 A. It has a Preamble and 30 Articles. Article 1 now reads: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." Article 2 adds that everyone is entitled to the Declaration's rights "without distinction of any kind", including race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, and national or social origin.
The United Nations describes Hansa Mehta as the only other woman delegate on the Commission besides its chair, Eleanor Roosevelt, and as a strong campaigner for women's rights in India and abroad. The word "men" could have been read as leaving women out. "Human beings" removes that doubt.
Key points
- Who: Hansa Mehta, Indian delegate to the UN Commission on Human Rights (1947–48).
- What: she is credited with replacing "all men" with "all human beings" in Article 1.
- Why it matters: the rights belong to every person, whatever their sex, nationality or religion. Article 2 confirms this ban on distinctions.
- Legal status: the Preamble presents the UDHR as "a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations". It is not a treaty that States sign and ratify.
- How it became binding in practice: its rights were developed in the two Covenants of 1966 (the ICCPR and the ICESCR), which entered into force in 1976 and bind the States that ratify them. Together with the UDHR, they form the International Bill of Human Rights.
Declaration and treaty compared
| Point | UDHR (1948) | ICCPR / ICESCR (1966) |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | General Assembly declaration | Multilateral treaties |
| Binding when adopted? | No: a common standard of achievement | Yes, for States that ratify them |
| Route to legal force | Treaties, customary international law, national constitutions and laws | Ratification; in force since 1976 |
Example
Neha reads Article 1 and asks whether it covers a woman of a different nationality and religion from her own. It does. Article 1 speaks of "all human beings", and Article 2 forbids distinctions based on sex, religion or national origin. Whether a particular State can be held legally responsible for denying her those rights depends on the treaties it has ratified, on customary law and on its own constitution, not on the Declaration alone.
Current-law note
The United Nations calls the UDHR the foundation of international human rights law. It has inspired many treaties, regional conventions, national bills of rights and constitutional provisions. For a full overview of the subject, see Human Rights Law: Complete Notes.
Exam point
UDHR: adopted on 10 December 1948 (resolution 217 A), 30 Articles, not a treaty. Hansa Mehta (India) is credited with changing "all men" to "all human beings" in Article 1.
