A/HRC/33/24
31.
A number of the recommendations in this case focus on non-repetition of those
human rights violations and suggest reforms to how the State administers maternal health
care. Four years after the decision was issued, the Center for Reproductive Rights indicated
that it had convened a follow-up commission to assess implementation of those
recommendations. Inspired by the technical guidance, the commission was able to craft
robust recommendations for further reform of the Brazilian maternal health system, which
the Center is currently using in ongoing advocacy.
32.
IPAS has noted that, with its national partners, it has used a human rights-based
approach to monitor the progress of the Government of Brazil in taking effective measures
to implement the Committee’s decision. Using the technical guidance as a framework,
IPAS has also worked with Brazilian civil society organizations to assess the quality of
post-abortion care in five Brazilian states. Researchers used a human rights-based approach
and based their interview questions on the technical guidance and presented the final report
in October 2015 in a thematic hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human
Rights.
33.
The Information Group on Reproductive Choice (GIRE) in Mexico highlighted that
the technical guidance has been instrumental in its focus on social justice to build capacity
of rights holders to demand a State response when their rights have been violated, making
use of complaints to public human rights bodies, both at local and national levels, with the
objective of achieving comprehensive reparations for violations. The organization has
developed specific research and reports on women’s reproductive rights in Mexico aimed at
drawing attention to violations, making recommendations to different authorities and
influencing policy decisions related to reproductive health and rights.
34.
Stakeholders in Peru have also utilized the technical guidance to support
participatory monitoring methods. For example, Foro de la Sociedad Civil en Salud
(ForoSalud) has focused its efforts on building the capacity of indigenous women to ensure
the quality of care at health facilities; direct citizen monitoring of health facilities;
documentation and production of reports on the monitors’ findings; the monthly analysis of
those findings with the Regional Ombudsperson’s Office, ForoSalud members and the
Departmental Officer for Integral Health Insurance; and the creation of “dialogue spaces”
for indigenous women leaders and health providers and authorities. Those efforts have led
to improved understanding within the Ombudsperson’s Office of health rights and
increased accountability of public health facilities as a result of regular monitoring by
indigenous women, who are now able to present their monitoring findings to the Ombuds
officers.
35.
As another example of monitoring human rights violations related to maternal
health, Amnesty International published a report in 2014 that examined some of the barriers
to antenatal care faced by women and girls in South Africa.9 The report, which utilized the
technical guidance as a tool for analysis, adopted a qualitative and inclusive research
methodology and identified key barriers that cause delays to or avoidance of antenatal care.
A significant result was the shift in perception among the community concerned from
viewing maternal health care as an issue of poor service delivery to be endured to one of
human rights to be challenged. It is reported that the authorities have visited some of the
sites mentioned in the report to investigate its key findings.
9
Amnesty International, “Struggle for maternal health: barriers to antenatal care in South Africa”
(2014).
9
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents