The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December, 1948. This was the first ever, truly international proclamation of human rights and fundamental freedoms and set a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations in this field. The Declaration proclaims the "recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable right of all members of the human family" to be the "foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world". The universality of the Declaration is premised not only on its wide international acceptance but also on its integrated and holistic vision of all rights-civil, political, economic, social and cultural and on the underlying theme of the inherent dignity of human beings present in the cultures, religions and philosophies in all parts of the world since the dawn of recorded history.

The Indian Constitution that was being formulated at the time the Universal Declaration was adopted by the General Assembly reflects most of the rights recognised in the Declaration either as Fundamental Rights in Part Ill of the constitution or as Directive Principles of State Policy in Part IV.

Throughout 1998 the international community will commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration. The "1998 Human Rights Year" began on 10 December 1997 and will culminate on 10 December 1998 with among other events, a special session of the UN General Assembly. There is a special focus on women's rights in all the activities.

India has set up a National Committee headed by the Home Minister with a broad and distinguished membership to celebrate this anniversary in a befitting manner. The celebrations were launched on Human Rights Day on December 10, 1997 with a function organised by the National Human Rights Commission. A National Plan of Action was drawn up with a view to enhance human rights awareness, develop human rights education, to strengthen national capacities for the promotion and protection of human rights and to act as a catalytic agent for further activities in the field of human rights.

A calendar of events was drawn up, with the focus being on activities which will give rise to continued and lasting action to promote and protect human rights.

The release of this commemorative stamp on this day which is also being celebrated as Women's Day underlines the priority given to Women's rights in India and the importance of activities related to Women's Rights in the National Plan of Action for 50th Anniversary celebrations of the UDHR. It is also a tribute to two remarkable women associated with the drafting of the Declaration-Eleanor Roosevelt and Dr. Hansa Mehta, a Gandhian and India's delegate in 1948.

The Department of  Post is happy to release t he stamp on the 50th Anniversary Of Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India