A/HRC/11/37 Recognizing also that the unacceptably high global rate of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity is a health, development and human rights challenge, and that a human rights analysis of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and the integration of a human rights perspective in international and national responses to maternal mortality and morbidity could contribute positively to the common goal of reducing this rate, with a view to eliminating preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, Welcoming the ongoing efforts of the United Nations human rights treaty bodies to highlight the human rights aspects of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, including those of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the Human Rights Committee, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and of the special procedures, in particular those described in the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health (A/61/338), Recognizing that the Council has a constructive role to play in raising awareness of the human rights aspects of the unacceptably high global rate of maternal mortality and morbidity and in supporting, promoting and enhancing existing national and international efforts to reduce this rate, Welcoming its initiative to hold an interactive dialogue at its eighth regular session on maternal mortality and the human rights of women, on 5 June 2008, Recognizing that preventable maternal mortality and morbidity affects women and their families in all regions and cultures, and that it is exacerbated by factors such as poverty, gender inequality, age and multiple forms of discrimination, as well as factors such as lack of access to adequate health facilities and technology, and lack of infrastructure, 1. Expresses grave concern at the unacceptably high global rate of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, noting in this regard that the World Health Organization has assessed that over 1,500 women and girls die every day as a result of preventable complications occurring before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth, and that, globally, maternal mortality is the leading cause of death among women and of girls of reproductive age; 2. Recognizes that most instances of maternal mortality and morbidity are preventable, and that preventable maternal mortality and morbidity is a health, development and human rights challenge that also requires the effective promotion and protection of the human rights of women and girls, in particular their rights to life, to be equal in dignity, to education, to be free to seek, receive and impart information, to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress, to freedom from discrimination, and to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, including sexual and reproductive health; 3. Requests all States to renew their political commitment to eliminating preventable maternal mortality and morbidity at the local, national, regional and international levels, and to redouble their efforts to ensure the full and effective implementation of their human rights obligations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and their review conferences, and the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals, in particular the Goals on improving maternal health and promoting gender equality and empowering women,2 including through the allocation of necessary domestic resources to health systems; 2 GE.09-16766 Millennium Development Goals 5 and 3. 45