Drafters of the Declaration

In February 1947, a group consisting of Eleanor Roosevelt, Pen-Chun Chang and Charles Malik began drafting the International Bill of Human Rights. With assistance of the UN Secretariat, the task of formulating a preliminary draft was given to John Humphrey, Director of the UN Secretariat's Division for Human Rights. Following a letter from the Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights to the President of the Economic and Social Council, dated 27 March 1947, (E/383), this Drafting Committee was enlarged. It was then composed of the members of the Commission on Human Rights for Australia, China, Chile, France, Lebanon, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.