A/HRC/18/27 experts and regional bodies, and summarized in the OHCHR report on preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and human rights (A/HRC/14/39). State obligations are underpinned by seven specific human rights principles: equality and non-discrimination, participation, empowerment, transparency, sustainability, international cooperation and accountability. Giving effect to these principles is at the core of a human rights-based approach to the elimination of maternal mortality and morbidity and to achieve Millennium Development Goal 5 on maternal health. 4. International human rights treaties and their interpretation by human rights bodies have made clear that many of the obligations that States must undertake to prevent maternal mortality and morbidity are not subject to progressive realization but are of immediate effect.5 The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recognizes that the Covenant also imposes certain core obligations; the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, in its general comment no. 14, emphasized that a State party could not, under any circumstances whatsoever, justify its non-compliance with the core obligations, which are non-derogable. In the same comment, the Committee stated that the provision of maternal health services is a core obligation: States have the immediate obligation to take deliberate, concrete and targeted steps towards fulfilling the right to health in the context of pregnancy and childbirth. In its general recommendation, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women emphasized that States are required to ensure services for maternal health and equality in access to health services: denying services that only women need is a form of discrimination. Moreover, the right to life and other civil and political rights, and the right to non-discrimination, are not subject to progressive realization.6 III. Common features of good and effective practices to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity using a human rightsbased approach 5. The current rate of global decline is insufficient to achieve the Millennium Development Goal target of reducing maternal mortality ratios by three quarters between 1990 and 2015.7 Good and effective practices to eliminate mortality and morbidity using a human rights-based approach may be complex and specific to the local situation, but, an analysis of all responses to the note verbale sent by OHCHR reveal that they share five features: (a) Broad social and legal changes to enhance women’s status by promoting gender equality and eliminating harmful practices; (b) Increasing access to contraception and family planning to enable women and adolescent girls to make decisions regarding their sexuality and fertility, including delaying and limiting childbearing and preventing sexually-transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, supported by access to education on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health; 5 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, general recommendation No. 24 (art. 12), para. 11. 6 See Human Rights Committee, general comment No. 6 (art. 6) on the right to life, para. 5; and Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comment No. 20 (art. 2, para. 2), para. 7. 7 A/64/665, para. 30. 4