A/HRC/RES/39/10
emergencies, with particular attention to women and girls facing multiple and intersecting
forms of discrimination and in situations of vulnerability, and to ensure a transition, as soon
as possible, towards comprehensive sexual and reproductive health-care services,
information and evidence-based education;
5.
Encourages Governments, local authorities, the United Nations system and
regional organizations, and invites donors and other assisting countries, to address the
vulnerabilities and capacities of women and girls through gender-responsive programming,
including with regard to sexual and reproductive health needs and the means to address
sexual and gender-based violence and various forms of exploitation during emergencies and
in post-disaster environments, and the allocation of resources in their disaster risk reduction,
response and recovery efforts in coordination with the Governments of affected countries;
6.
Strongly urges States and all parties to armed conflict to take effective
measures to prevent and address acts of violence, attacks and threats against medical
personnel and humanitarian personnel exclusively assigned to medical duties, their means
of transport and equipment, as well as hospitals and other medical facilities in armed
conflict, including through the development of domestic legal frameworks to ensure respect
for their relevant international legal obligations;
7.
Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights on the follow-up on the application of the technical
guidance on the application of a human rights-based approach to the implementation of
policies and programmes to reduce preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, 3 and
encourages all stakeholders to consider the recommendations contained therein;
8.
Requests States and other relevant actors to give renewed emphasis to
maternal mortality and morbidity initiatives in their development partnerships and
international assistance and cooperation arrangements, including by strengthening technical
cooperation to address maternal mortality and morbidity, including through the transfer of
expertise, technology and scientific data and exchanging good practices with developing
countries, while honouring existing commitments, and to integrate a human rights-based
perspective into such initiatives, addressing the impact that discrimination against women
and girls has on maternal mortality and morbidity;
9.
Urges States to ensure that laws, policies and practices respect women’s
bodily autonomy and privacy and the equal right to decide autonomously in matters
regarding their own lives and health by bringing laws and policies concerning sexual and
reproductive health, including international assistance policies, into line with international
human rights law and repealing discriminatory laws relating to third-party authorization for
health information and health-care services, and combating gender stereotypes, norms and
behaviours that are discriminatory;
10.
Also urges States to ensure access to justice and accountability mechanisms
and timely and effective remedies for the effective implementation and enforcement of laws
aimed at preventing violations of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest
attainable standard of physical and mental health, including sexual and reproductive health,
including those aimed at preventing maternal mortality and morbidity, including in
humanitarian settings, such as by informing women of their rights under relevant
international and domestic law and by improving legal and health infrastructure and
removing all barriers in access to legal counselling, assistance and remedies;
11.
Further urges States to ensure accountability and gender-sensitive, prompt
and effective remedies for the violation of the rights of women and girls in relation to
maternal mortality and morbidity in humanitarian settings by including transparent forms of
monitoring, review and oversight of humanitarian programmes and policies, including the
monitoring of inequities;
12.
Calls upon States to support gender equality and women’s rights and the
rights of the child, including within families, through awareness-raising initiatives,
3
A/HRC/39/26.
5