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Hansa Mehta: Activist and Diplomat from India

  • 25 Jun 2024

On June 24th, 2024, on the occasion of the International Day for Women in Diplomacy, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Dennis Francis paid tribute to Hansa Mehta, a feminist leader, activist and diplomat from India, highlighting her pivotal role in shaping the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) to be more inclusive.

Key Points

  • Born on 3rd July 1897, she was a champion of women’s rights. She was also a prominent Indian scholar, educator, social reformer and writer.
  • As the President of All India Women’s Conference (AIWC) in 1946, she led the drafting of the “Indian Women’s Charter of Rights”, which demanded gender equality, civil rights and justice for women in India.
  • She was a part of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the Indian Constitution, a member of its Advisory Committee and sub-Committee on Fundamental Rights.
  • At the international level, she played a pioneering role in drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
  • She was the only other female delegate, apart from Eleanor Roosevelt to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.