Long before gender equality became a global conversation, Indian freedom fighter Hansa Mehta ensured that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights spoke for everyone. Her insistence on replacing the phrase “All men are born free and equal” with “All human beings are born free and equal” transformed one of the world’s most important documents and cemented her legacy as a global champion of women’s rights.
Hansa Mehta’s Early Journey
When discussions around gender equality and inclusive language dominate global conversations today, one Indian woman had already laid the foundation for this movement nearly eight decades ago. Dr. Hansa Jivraj Mehta was not only a freedom fighter but also an educationist, diplomat, constitutionalist and one of India’s foremost advocates for women’s rights.
Born on July 3, 1897, in Gujarat into an influential family, Hansa Mehta was the daughter of Manubhai Nandshankar Mehta, the Dewan of Baroda. She pursued higher studies in Sociology and Journalism in England before returning to India at a time when the country’s freedom movement was gathering momentum.
Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and Sarojini Naidu, she soon became deeply involved in the Swadeshi and Non-Cooperation movements. During the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930, she joined Kamala Nehru in leading protests against British rule. At Delhi Railway Station, their powerful cries of “Inquilab Zindabad” were reportedly drowned out by British authorities who ordered train engines to blow their whistles continuously. Her participation eventually led to her arrest alongside her husband, Dr. Jivraj Mehta.
Following her release, Hansa entered public life, serving two terms in the Bombay Legislative Council before becoming a member of India’s Constituent Assembly.
Hansa Mehta Changed UDHR
Hansa Mehta’s most enduring contribution came on the global stage after India’s independence.
In 1947, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru nominated her to represent India at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, where she worked alongside Eleanor Roosevelt during the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
The original draft of Article 1 stated:
“All men are born free and equal.”
Recognising that such wording could be interpreted as excluding women, Hansa Mehta strongly argued that a declaration meant for all humanity must use gender-inclusive language. Her intervention resulted in one of the most significant editorial changes in modern history.
The final version now reads:
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”
This seemingly simple change ensured that the declaration explicitly represented every individual, regardless of gender, and became the language adopted by governments, courts and institutions across the world.
Her contribution was formally acknowledged decades later. In 2015, then United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon remarked that the world could thank “a daughter of India” for replacing the phrase “all men” with “all human beings” in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
"All human beings are born free and equal"
— United Nations in India (@UNinIndia) December 10, 2021
This #HumanRightsDay, must-watch iconic Indian Human Rights activist Hansa Mehta's speech at the Commission on #HumanRights to discuss the draft of the international covenant on human rights in 1950.@UNHumanRights @OHCHRAsia pic.twitter.com/YKbaDQQXnv
Women’s Rights And Constitution
Hansa Mehta’s commitment to equality extended far beyond the United Nations.
As President of the All India Women’s Conference (AIWC), she led the drafting of the Indian Women’s Charter of Rights and Duties in 1946, demanding equal civil rights, access to education and greater political participation for women.
Within the Constituent Assembly, she consistently advocated legal reforms that would strengthen women’s rights. She supported Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s proposals on inheritance, divorce, adoption and property rights under the Hindu Code Bill.
She also strongly backed the inclusion of a Uniform Civil Code in the Constitution. Although it was ultimately placed among the Directive Principles of State Policy rather than becoming an enforceable fundamental right, her advocacy reflected her belief in equal civil rights irrespective of religion.
Outside legislative work, she campaigned against child marriage, the devadasi system and other discriminatory social practices. Her personal life also reflected her progressive beliefs. Defying prevailing social norms, she married Dr. Jivraj Mehta across caste lines a decision that attracted opposition but eventually received the support of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III.
Hansa Mehta’s Lasting Legacy
Hansa Mehta achieved several milestones that made her one of independent India’s pioneering women leaders.
She became India’s first woman Vice-Chancellor when she headed SNDT Women’s University in Mumbai, helping expand women’s access to higher education. On the midnight of August 15, 1947, she also had the historic honour of presenting the national flag to the Constituent Assembly on behalf of the women of India. That tricolour became the first national flag to fly over an independent India.
She was equally known for challenging sexist attitudes in public life. During debates in the Constituent Assembly, when a member jokingly claimed that men needed constitutional protection from women because they were “elbowing” men out of public spaces, Hansa Mehta firmly rejected the remark, refusing to allow misogynistic ideas to go unchallenged.
Her courage lay not only in drafting laws or speaking at international forums but also in confronting discrimination wherever she encountered it.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Hansa Mehta’s legacy is often reduced to a single sentence about changing five words in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. While that achievement alone reshaped international human rights law, it represents only a fraction of her contribution.
What deserves equal attention is how consistently she fought for structural equality inside India’s Constitution, within educational institutions, in social reform movements and at the United Nations. Her work demonstrates that inclusive language is not merely symbolic; it shapes legal interpretation, policymaking and public imagination for generations.
In an era where debates over gender-neutral language continue across countries and institutions, Hansa Mehta’s intervention remains remarkably relevant. She understood that words in foundational legal documents are never incidental they determine who is recognised, protected and represented.
Long before diversity and inclusion became global policy priorities, an Indian woman ensured that one of humanity’s most influential documents truly belonged to everyone. Her story reminds us that some of history’s most transformative changes are not always made through grand speeches or revolutions, but through the courage to insist that every person is seen, acknowledged and included.
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