A/HRC/37/36 bedrock for health systems and quality planning. He emphasized that committed leadership could achieve set targets and safeguard the rights of women and adolescents, provided that they were enabled to access comprehensive information, exercised autonomous decisionmaking and received services, inter alia, for mental, physical sexual and reproductive health. He concluded that it was possible to improve health outcomes for all and transform society, but only if everyone shouldered their responsibilities. C. Interventions by representatives of Member States, observer States and other observers 49. Delegates strongly affirmed that meeting the Sustainable Development Goals necessitated investing in women and girls, which should be seen as an investment in healthy and prosperous societies. Many delegations, across all regions, expressed strong appreciation of the report of the High-level Working Group and the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016–2030). Several delegations encouraged closer collaboration between WHO and OHCHR, including through the joint programme proposed by the High-level Working Group. 50. Many delegations emphasized the need to mainstream a gender perspective in all targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, while stressing that Goals 3 and 5 of were interlinked in nature. Attaining gender equality under Goal 5 required improving the access to health for all women and girls, as women’s ability to enjoy rights to and through health depended on the absence of discrimination. Where the right to health was upheld, individuals were more likely to claim other rights, including the rights to education and to the equal participation of women in society and leadership. They identified gender inequality, intersecting forms of discrimination, harmful social and cultural norms and practices, and the gender-based violence faced by women and girls as major barriers for the enjoyment by women and girls of the right to and through health. Some delegates cautioned that efforts to achieve gender equality and health and well-being for all should be pursued based on the national priorities and cultural, religious, historical and development contexts of each State. 51. Many delegations expressed concern over the continuing lack of access for women and girls to sexual and reproductive health services. Several delegates emphasized the importance of realizing sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and girls, including access to comprehensive sexual education and safe abortion, as essential elements for achieving Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 5. Delegations stated that 40 per cent of the world population lived in countries with restricted access to abortion and that the need for family planning of 220 million women worldwide had not been met, resulting in 20 million unsafe abortions each year. Complications during childbirth and pregnancy were the second leading cause of death for girls aged between 15 and 19. The respect and fulfilment of sexual and reproductive health rights enabled women and girls to claim other rights. Delegations noted that harmful social and cultural norms presented a discriminatory barrier to the enjoyment by women and girls of their sexual and reproductive health rights, undermining their dignity and well-being. Delegations also emphasized that women and girls should have autonomy over their own lives and bodies, which should be guaranteed through choice and access to comprehensive sexual education, information and sexual and reproductive health services. Some delegates highlighted the heightened risk of discrimination and exclusion faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, resulting in the denial of their enjoyment of the right to health, including sexual and reproductive health and rights. 52. Some delegates noted the disproportionate impact of humanitarian crises on women and girls, noting that more support needed to be given to women’s groups operating in those contexts. In fragile or conflict situations, health rights might be marginalized by a focus only on peace. Delegates also emphasized the importance of access to sexual and reproductive health rights during crises and in humanitarian settings, in order to empower women. They noted the need to improve the collection of data and information on access to primary health care and sexual and reproductive health services in order to monitor the access of women and girls to services and improve accountability mechanisms. Some 11