Final answer:
Eleanor Roosevelt was crucial in the foundation of the United Nations and particularly in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a delegate to the UN and the first chairperson of the UN Commission on Human Rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
Eleanor Roosevelt, the former First Lady of the United States, played a pivotal role in the development of the United Nations (UN), especially in the realm of human rights. After the passing of her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt—who had laid the groundwork for the UN by advocating for the Four Freedoms and supporting the idea behind the United Nations—Eleanor Roosevelt was appointed as a delegate to the UN General Assembly by President Harry Truman. In 1946, she became the first chairperson of the UN Commission on Human Rights and played an instrumental role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948. She held a poster of the UDHR in a famous photo that symbolizes her commitment to human rights and the success of the declaration, which has become a cornerstone of human rights protection around the world.
Roosevelt's leadership and vision contributed to the UDHR being approved by nearly every member nation, except for a few, including the apartheid government of South Africa and some Communist nations. Through her work, she helped to transform the principles of freedom and equality into a comprehensive, written document that continues to serve as a foundational reference for human rights globally.