Hansa Mehta: The Woman Who Redefined Human Rights for Everyone

Hansa Mehta is the reason the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” (UDHR) applies to everyone. Born in 1897 in Surat, she was the daughter of the Dewan of Baroda. She grew up in a world of privilege but used that privilege to dismantle the barriers she saw around her. She was highly educated, studying sociology in London, where she witnessed the suffragette movement firsthand. When she returned to India, she didn’t just join the freedom struggle; she joined the fight for the legal identity of women.

Her biggest challenge came in 1947 when she was sent to the United Nations to help draft the UDHR. The original draft, overseen by Eleanor Roosevelt, famously began with the phrase: “All men are created equal.” To the Western world, “men” was a generic term. But Hansa, coming from a country where language was often used to exclude people, saw the trap. She knew that in many cultures, “men” would be interpreted literally, leaving women without legal protection. She took on the entire UN committee, arguing with a persistence that eventually won over the room.

Because of Hansa, the phrase was changed to: “All human beings are born free and equal.” This wasn’t just a grammar fix; it was a tectonic shift in international law. It ensured that every right listed in that document belonged to every person on the planet, regardless of gender. Back in India, she continued her streak of firsts, serving on the committee that drafted the Indian Constitution and becoming the first female Vice-Chancellor of a co-educational university in India (MSU Baroda).