UNGA President pays tribute to Indian reformer Hansa Mehta on International Day of Women in Diplomacy

United Nations: UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis paid tribute to Indian reformer and educator Hansa Mehta as he honoured women diplomats' "invaluable contributions" on International Day of Women in Diplomacy.

In the second annual event commemorating women in diplomacy here on Monday, Francis said that throughout history, women diplomats have "broken barriers and made invaluable contributions to multilateralism".

"Would the Universal Declaration of Human Rights be truly universal today if Hansa Mehta had not insisted its opening line be changed from 'all men' to 'all human beings' are born free and equal?" he said.

Mehta served as the Indian delegate to the UN Commission on Human Rights from 1947 to 1948 and is widely known for ensuring a more gender-sensitive language in the landmark Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UDHR.

She is widely credited with significantly changing the language of Article 1 of the UDHR, by replacing the phrase "All men are born free and equal" with "All human beings are born free and equal." She died in Mumbai at the age of 97 in 1995.

Francis also lauded the roles played by other women in diplomacy, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Begum Shaista Ikramullah and Minerva Bernardino.

He said that gender equality in diplomacy is a "reflection of our societies at large – a mirror of our progress, or lack thereof, in building a world that is truly inclusive and respectful of the rights of women and girls." Asserting that the contributions of women who have "embodied and elevated the ideals of equality are too long to list", Francis said it is high time the world supports and encourages their "unhindered progress".

"We must move beyond mere citing of statistics to concrete action – for a world where gender equality and women’s leadership in diplomacy are as tried and true as a sunrise over the horizon," he said.

"For this, we must pull gender inequality out from its tenacious roots – by challenging gender stereotypes, ending workplace harassment, redistributing unpaid care work and making the gender pay gap a vestige of the past," he added.

He urged men to get off the sidelines and actively engage in this common pursuit.

"I eagerly await the day when more women assume the position I hold today," he said.

Appreciating the contributions of women in diplomacy, he said, "You are the role models – inspiring the confidence and drive of young women and girls to achieve their fullest potential."