By: Rumya Nithiananthan
“There is a fundamental link between human rights and peace. There will be peace on earth when the rights of all are respected.”
-John Humphrey, (Human Rights advocate, Canadian legal scholar, Jurist)
This year, December 10, 2010 marked the 62nd anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948 was adopted by the UN’s General Assembly. Nations all around the world signed this document that specified rights and freedoms for all humans. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights lists basic rights and freedoms that all humans are entitled to; furthermore, the document over the years has played a role in improving the rights of citizens all over the world. Attempts are being made to raise its awareness however, even today we see the world half of what it can be as for many don’t receive these basic rights and freedoms. (Gibson, Murphy, Jarman, and Grant, 42) The Declaration has been translated into many languages and as such we commemorate the Canadian who drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Sir John Humphrey.
John Peters Humphrey (1905 – 1995)known as John Humphrey was born on April 30, 1905 in Hampton, New Brunswick. He went through some tough times in his childhood as he lost his parents when he was young and had to have an arm amputated. Children at school would insult and ridicule him, these incidents helped him build his character and taught him to fight back. Humphrey then realized that there must be rights that should be guaranteed for individuals like him.
Humphrey then studied law at McGill University and graduated in 1925 with a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce. During his study at McGill, Canada faced the Great Depression and the anguish he saw had influenced him. Humphrey then came back to McGill to take up the position as a professor at the University. He also continued his Master’s degree in international law.
After World War II , in 1946, the Secretary-General Assistant, Henri Laugier assigned Humphrey as the United Nations Divisions of Human Rights Director. He was the first Canadian to be a director at the UN Human Rights Council. John Humphrey then drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On December 10, 1948 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was declared by the UN’s General Assembly. The Declaration was credited as the “Magna Carta of all mankind.” Within his 20 years service at the UN, Humphrey was involved in the creation of charters and conventions of countries that dealt with issues like discrimination and women status. (“Historica Minutes”)
In 1966, he retired from the UN and went back to McGill University to teach law. Humphrey helped in established Amnesty Canada International and the Canadian Human Rights Foundation. In 1995, at the age of 90, John Humphrey passed away in Montreal.
Nelson Mandela, the former president mentions John Humphrey as the “Human Rights Pioneer.”Humphrey always believed that people should have social, economical and political rights. His work, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, today stands as an example for many countries in achieving human rights.
Works Cited
- Gibson, Dwignt, Terry Murphy, Frederick Jarman, and Derek Grant. All about Canadian Law. 5th. Toronto: Nelson, 2003. Print.
- “John Humphrey.” Historica Minutes. Historica Dominion, n.d. Web. 16 Dec 2010. <http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=10219>.
- “John Peters Humphrey “Father of the Modern Human Rights System”.” The Hampton John Peters Humphrey Foundation, 2008. Web. 16 Dec 2010. <http://www.humphreyhampton.org/biography.php>.
