John Peters Humphrey

John Peters Humphrey
Born
John Thomas Peters Humphrey

(1905-04-30)April 30, 1905
DiedMarch 14, 1995(1995-03-14) (aged 89)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Alma materMcGill University
OrganizationUnited Nations
Notable workFirst draft of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights
Spouses
  • Jeanne Godreau
  • Margaret Kunstler
AwardsUN Humanitarian Award

John Peters Humphrey OC OQ (April 30, 1905 – March 14, 1995) was a Canadian legal scholar, jurist, and human rights advocate. He is most famous as the principal author of the first draft of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a foundational document in international human rights law adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.

Humphrey's contributions were recognized with honors including the Order of Canada (1974), the National Order of Quebec (1985), and the UN Human Rights Prize (1988).