Research Guides: Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), Drafting History: Second Session

Timeline

1946

1947

1948

Commission on Human Rights - 2nd Session

Commission on Human Rights, 2nd Session
2 December - 10 December 1947
Geneva

During the second session of the Commission on Human Rights the concept of an international bill of human rights comprised of three parts, a declaration, a convention and measures for implementation. Discussions revealed that many Member States were ready to accept a draft declaration if it would precede, and not replace, a convention. At its 29th meeting on 8 December 1947 (E/CN.4/SR.29), the Commission set up three separate working groups to consider, respectively, the Declaration, the Convention or Conventions, and the Implementation aspects.

These Working Groups submitted their reports to the Commission on Human Rights as documents: E/CN.4/56, Working Party on an International Convention on Human Rights; E/CN.4/57 and E/CN.4/57/Add.1, Working Group on the Declaration on Human Rights; E/CN.4/53, Working Group on Implementation. The report of the second session is contained in document E/600. Its Annex A, Part I, contains Draft Articles for the International Declaration of Human Rights and Annex A, Part II, contains Comments on the Draft articles.

As noted in paragraph 13 of the Commission's report on its 2nd session (E/600): Taking into consideration the necessity for the Drafting Committee to be fully informed of the replies from Governments before its next meeting on 3 May 1948, the Commission requested the Secretary-General:

(a) to transmit this report to the Governments during the first week of January 1948;

(b) to fix the date of 3 April 1948 as the time limit for the reception of replies from Governments on the draft International Bill of Human Rights; and

Documents

E/CN.4/22
Provisional Agenda for the 2nd Session of the Commission on Human Rights : 03/07/1947
E/CN.4/22/REV.1
Provisional Agenda for the 2nd Session of the Commission on Human Rights: 17/09/1947
E/CN.4/22/REV.2
Provisional Agenda for the 2nd Session of the Commission on Human Rights: 01/12/1947
E/CN.4/30
Study on the Evolution of Human Rights: 12/11/1947
E/CN.4/31
Trade Union Rights: Freedom of Association: Memorandum/by the Division of Human Rights: 12/11/1947
E/CN.4/32
Draft Charter of International Human Rights and Duties : Note/by the Secretary-General : 12/11/ 1947
E/CN.4/35
Memorandum [Received by the Secretariat From the Inter-Parliamentary Union Transmitting Extracts From Resolutions That May Be of Interest of the Commission on Human Rights]: 25/11/1947
E/CN.4/36
Proposal for a Declaration of Human Rights/Submitted by the Representative of the United States on the Commission on Human Rights: 26/11/1947
E/CN.4/36/ADD.1
Explanatory Note on Derivation of Declaration on Human Rights/Proposed by Representative of the United States on the Commission on Human Rights: 27/11/1947
E/CN.4/36/ADD.2
Parallel Passages In Human Rights Drafting Committee Text and United States Proposal: 05/12/1947
E/CN.4/37
Proposal for a Human Rights Convention/Submitted by the Representative of the United States on the Commission on Human Rights: 26/11/1947
E/CN.4/38
Statement Regarding the Possible Ways In Which the Recommendations of the Human Rights Commission Might Be Presented to the General Assembly/Submitted by the Representative of the United Kingdom on the Commission on Human Rights: 25/11/1947
E/CN.4/39
Proposed Amendments to the Draft Articles on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms Contained In Annex G of the Report of the Drafting Committee (E/CN.4/21)/Submitted by the Representative of the United Kingdom on the Commission on Human Rights: 26/11/1947
E/CN.4/42
Proposal [for a Decision to Prepare a Draft Convention and Declaration of Human Rights]/Submitted by the United Kingdom Delegation: 02/12/1947
E/CN.4/42/REV.1
Revised Proposal [for a Decision to Prepare a Draft Bill and Declaration of Human Rights]/Submitted by the United Kingdom Delegation: 03/12/1947
E/CN.4/44
Belgian Proposal [to Establish 3 Working Parties of the Commission on Human Rights to Deal With the Declaration, the Convention Or Conventions, and Implementation]: 03/12/ 1947
E/CN.4/47
Proposal Concerning Item 5 of the Agenda [for a Decision to Proceed Without Delay to Consider the Draft Declaration on Human Rights]/by the Soviet Delegation: 04/12/1947
E/CN.4/48
Proposal [for a Decision to Prepare and Submit a Draft Declaration and Convention As Well As Proposals for Implementation]/Submitted by the French Delegation: 04/12/1947
E/CN.4/49
Proposal [for a Decision to Prepare a Bill of Human Rights In the form of a Convention and a Declaration of Human Rights]/Submitted by the United Kingdom Delegation: 04/12/1947
E/CN.4/50
Resolution Adopted [for a Decision to Proceed Without Delay to Consider the Draft Declaration on Human Rights Contained In Annex F and the Draft Articles Contained In Annex G of the Report of the Drafting Committee for Inclusion In a Convention]/Commisison on Human Rights, 2nd Session: 04/12/1947
E/CN.4/53
Draft Report of the Working Group on Implementation: Commission on Human Rights, 2nd Session: 10/12/1947
E/CN.4/53/CORR.1
Corrigendum: 12/12/1947
E/CN.4/56
Report of the Working Party on An International Convention on Human Rights: Commission on Human Rights, 2nd Session: 11/12/1947
E/CN.4/57
Report of the Working Group on the Declaration on Human Rights: Commission on Human Rights, 2nd Session: 10/12/1947
E/CN.4/57/ADD.1
Addendum to the Report of the Working Group on the Declaration [of Human Rights]: Commission on Human Rights, 2nd Session: 17/12/1947
E/CN.4/58
Belgian Amendment to Article 10 of the Declaration [on Human Rights] (E/CN.4/57): 12/12/1947
E/CN.4/59
United States Proposal In Substitution for Article 25 of the Convention [on Human Rights] (E/CN.4/56): 12/12/1947
E/CN.4/60
Belgian Amendment to Article 18 of the Declaration on Human Rights (E/CN.4/57): 13/12/1947
E/CN.4/61
Amended Text of Draft Resolution on Stateless Persons (E/CN.4/56)/Submitted by the Representative of Belgium: 13/12/1947
E/CN.4/62
Proposal on the Declaration [on Human Rights] (E/CN.4/57)/by the Lebanese Delegation: 13/12/1947
E/CN.4/65
United Kingdom Amendments to Articles 31 and 33 of the Draft Declaration on Human Rights: 14/12/1947
E/CN.4/66
Amendment to Article 38 of the Draft Declaration on Human Rights/Submitted by the Representative of India: 14/12/1947
E/CN.4/67
Amendment to Article 29 of the Draft Declaration on Human Rights/Submitted by the Representative of the Byelorussian SSR: 14/12/1947
E/CN.4/69
Proposed Article for Insertion In the Draft Convention [on Human Rights]/Submitted by the Representative of the United Kingdom: 14/12/1947
E/CN.4/70
Proposal for An Additional Article 39 to Be Added to the Declaration on Human Rights/Submitted by the Representative of France: 14/12/1947
E/CN.4/71
Amendment to Convention [on Human Rights]/Proposed by the Representative of France: 14/12/1947
E/CN.4/72
Proposed Resolution by the Commission on Human Rights [on Preparing a Shortened form of the Declaration on Human Rights]/Submitted by the United States Delegation: 15/12/1947
E/CN.4/73
Amendment to the Convention [on Human Rights]/Submitted by the Representative of India: 15/12/1947
E/CN.4/74
Proposals [for Text of the Draft Declaration of Human Rights]/Submitted by the Representative of Lebanon: 15/12/1947
E/CN.4/75
Proposal [for Text of the Draft Convention on Human Rights]/Submitted by the Representative of Lebanon: 15/12/1947
E/CN.4/76
Amendment to Article 31 a of the Declaration of Human Rights/Submitted by the Representative of Lebanon: 16/12/1947
E/CN.4/77
Draft Report of the Commission on Human Rights Submitted to the Economic and Social Council : 16/12/1947
E/CN.4/77/ADD.1
Addition to Chapter 6 of Rapporteur's Draft Report [of the Commission on Human Rights Submitted to the Economic and Social Council]: Commission on Human Rights, 2nd Session: 17/12/1947
E/CN.4/77/ANNEX A
Draft International Declaration on Human Rights. Draft Annex A: 16/12/1947
E/CN.4/77/ANNEX B
Draft International Covenant on Human Rights: 16/12/1947
E/CN.4/78
Communication Adressed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to the Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights: 16/12/1947
E/CN.4/79
Amendment to Article 2 of the Convention [on Human Rights]/Proposed by the Representative of Egypt: 18/12/1947

Meeting Records

E/CN.4/SR.23
23rd Meeting Held on Tuesday, 2 December 1947: 02/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.24
24th Meeting Held In Closed Session on Tuesday, 2 December 1947: 02/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.25
25th Meeting, Held on Tuesday, 2 December 1947: 02/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.25/CORR.1
Corrigendum: 02/12/1947
E/CN.4/ SR.26
26th Meeting, Held In Closed Session on Wednesday, 3 December, 1947: 03/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.27
27th Meeting, Held on Wednesday, 3 December 1947: 03/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.28
28th Meeting, Held on Thursday, 4 December 1947: 04/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.29
29th Meeting, Held on Thursday, 4 December 1947: 08/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.30
30th Meeting, Held on Friday, 5 December 1947: 05/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.31
31st Meeting, Held on Monday, 8 December 1947: 08/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.32
Summary Record of 32nd Meeting, Held on Thursday, 11 December 1947: 11/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.33
Summary Record of 33rd Meeting, Held on Thursday, 11 December 1947: 11/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.34
Summary Record of 34th Meeting, Held on Friday, 12 December 1947: 12/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.35
Summary Record of 35th Meeting, Held on Friday, 12 December 1947: 12/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.36
Summary Record of 36th Meeting, Held on Friday [I.E. Saturday], 13 December 1947 : 13/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.37
Summary Record of 37th Meeting, Held on Saturday, 13 December 1947: 13/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.38
Summary Record of 38th Meeting, Held on Monday, 15 December 1947: 15/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.39
Summary Record of 39th Meeting, Held on Monday, 15 December 1947: 15/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.40
Summary Record of 40th Meeting, Held on Tuesday, 16 December 1947: 16/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.41
Summary Record of 41st Meeting, Held on Tuesday, 16 December 1947: 16/12/1947
E/CN.4/SR.42
Summary Record of 42nd Meeting, Held on Tuesday, 16 December 1947: 16/12/1947

Reports and Actions

E/600(SUPP)
Commission on Human Rights: Report to the Economic and Social Council on the 2nd Session of the Commission, held at Geneva, from 2 to 17 December 1947: 01/01/1948