On 8th March 1998, India Post issued this stamp to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The release of the stamp coincided with International Women’s Day, underlining the importance of activities related to women’s rights. It was also a tribute to two women associated with the drafting of the Declaration – Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt and Mrs. Hansa Jivraj Mehta, India’s delegate in 1948.

Women delegates from various countries played a key role in getting women’s rights included in the UDHR. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt served as the first Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights. Mrs. Hansa Mehta is widely recognised for changing the phrase “All men are born free and equal” to “All human beings are born free and equal” in Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.