The Gender Equality

In the drafting of the Declaration, the issue of women's rights was one of the focal points of discussion. For the sake of avoiding possible disputes about the manifestation of women’s rights in the Declaration, women representatives urged relevant parties to involve women's rights or modify the expression of related articles.

Beacon of Hope - Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights


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In the First Session of the Drafting Committee, Prof. Koretsky (USSR) argued against the use of the exclusive phrase "all men"

Prof. Koretsky

United Nations, E/CN.4/AC.1/SR.13/p. 6, 1947

Mr. Harry

I believe the problem insoluble, for I can find no other word to replace "men". Besides, the Charter itself reference was made to "mankind" and not to "mankind and womankind".

United Nations, E/CN.4/AC.1/SR.13/p. 6, 1947

Mrs. Roosevelt

United Nations, E/CN.4/AC.1/SR.13/p. 7, 1947

The disagreement was carried over into the Second Session of the Commission

Mrs. Mehta

I don't like the wording of "all men" or "should act ... like brothers." I think they might be interpreted to exclude women, and are out of date.

United Nations, E/CN.4/SR.34/p. 4, 1947

Mrs. Roosevelt

The word "men" used in this sense is generally accepted to include all human beings.

United Nations, E/CN.4/SR.34/p. 4, 1947

Lord Dukeston

United Nations, E/CN.4/SR.34/pp. 4-5, 1947

Mrs. Mehta

I don't object to the U.K. suggestion, but still wish to have it changed to "human beings" or "persons", as Article 1 is the only place in the Declaration where the expression "men" appeared.

United Nations, E/CN.4/SR.34/p. 5, 1947

Mrs. Roosevelt

Vote: @Lord Dukeston the proposal of the United Kingdom representative:
12
1
(3 abstentions)
ADOPTED

United Nations, E/CN.4/SR.34/p. 6, 1947

In the Third Session, the Commission had received a draft of Article 1 from the Commission on the Status of Women

Mrs. Ledon

United Nations, E/CN.4/81, 24 Mar. 1948

Mrs. Ledon

Our Commission realized that the term "all men" had a general sense, there was a certain ambiguity in it and it would be better to use the more precise term, which figured in the Charter.

United Nations, E/CN.4/SR.50/p. 9, 1948

Mrs. Roosevelt

United Nations, E/CN.4/SR.50/p. 9, 1948

Mr. Lebeau

I think a compromise between the Drafting Committee's text and the Charter could be reached if Article 1 are to start with the words "all human beings".

United Nations, E/CN.4/SR.50/pp. 10-11, 1948

Mrs. Mehta

@Mrs. Ledon I wish to hear what the Commission on the Status of Women think is the best text.

United Nations, E/CN.4/SR.50/p. 11, 1948

Mrs. Ledon

The terminology suggested by the Belgian representative best suits our Commission.

United Nations, E/CN.4/SR.50/p. 11, 1948

The U.K.-India phrase "all people, men and women," and the phrase "in the spirit of brotherhood" were finally adopted

Mrs. Roosevelt

Vote: the text submitted by the delegations of India and the United Kingdom:
11
0
(6 abstentions)
ADOPTED

United Nations, E/CN.4/SR.50/p. 15, 1948

However, the Secretariat's draft mistakenly1 began Article 1 with the phrase "all human beings", which was approved for transmission to the ECOSOC without anyone pointing out the discrepancy. Both the Third Committee and General Assembly approved the present phrase, which, though not explicit about the equality of men and women, freed Article 1 of all sexist implications.

1 Morsink, Johannes. “The Women's Lobby and Women's Rights.” The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Origins, Drafting and Intent, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1999, p. 134.