Aren't women human? The Universal Declaration of Human Rights continues to use male-dominated language when outlining human rights

Much of the United Nations' most prestigous document excludes women.

The United Nations has four main purposes. The first one is maintaining worldwide peace and security.

The United Nations' most prestigious document is The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is one of the most translated and printed documents in the world.

In the introductory coverage of United Nations Global Issues and women, the United Nations outlined, "Among its earliest accomplishments was ensuring gender neutral language in the draft Universal Declaration of Human Rights."

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However, much of the language in the document still leaves women feeling out-of-the-picture when it comes to rights.

The first sentence of the preamble states, "Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world."

But the Declaration continues on to say, "Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind.... Whereas it is essential, if man is not compelled to have recourse...."

Male-dominated words run rampant throughout the remainder of the document; The Universal Declaration of Human Rights contains words like 'mankind,' 'brotherhood,' 'he,' 'his' and 'himself' over 25 times.

The very first article of the declaration states "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."

Does the women working day and night weaving baskets or transporting water to and from her village have rights if she's not a part of the brotherhood? Is a young girl really expected to feel welcome, secure or protected in the global world when she is referred to as a him?

"Language that uses the generic masculine - excludes women and renders them invisible," says CEDAW - Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

If we are to make the female population, both old and young, feel accepted and entitled to rights, there needs to be some change.

"Language itself seems to be a mirror of our world society where women, especially girls and girl infants, are too often pushed to the side," expressed Shiloh Sophia McCloud-Lewis in a feature for Women News Network. "Yes women have made strides, but evidently not to the point where a change is made."

McCloud-Lewis demands the male-dominated language be replaced with gender neutral words, like humankind and humanity.

She has created a petition which will be presented to the United Nations at the 59th Commission on the Status of Women in 2015 asking the United Nations to revise The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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