A/HRC/37/36 underlined the importance of applying a human rights-based approach to health. Delegations also emphasized the importance of ensuring youth participation, addressing mental health and eliminating gender-discriminatory criminal laws and the gender divide in digital technology. D. Responses and concluding remarks 53. Ms. Halonen commented on the way in which States could ensure the accessibility of good quality health systems, including service provision on sexual and reproductive health. She highlighted three points: (a) budget analysis to ensure sufficient resources were allocated for the health system; (b) the empowerment of health workers; and (c) adoption of a multi-stakeholder approach, involving all relevant actors. She stressed the crucial role of national and local governments, the need for States to work with civil society and the private sector, and the need to place the individual at the heart of designing health-care systems. In her concluding remarks, Ms. Halonen called for further cooperation between a wide range of United Nations entities. She also commented on the importance of demystifying the stigma surrounding mental health, the protection of sexual and reproductive health and the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. 54. Ms. Lustemberg reflected on the experiences of Uruguay in ensuring respect for the sexual and reproductive health needs of women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons in health systems. She shared the actions taken by Uruguay in that regard, including: (a) the adoption of legislation guaranteeing sexual and reproductive health rights in both public and private health services; (b) the establishment of interdisciplinary teams in health-care institutions, which delivered confidential services to all users; (c) providing basic and free contraceptive services in public health structures; (d) accrediting health-care institutions that provided services free from homophobia and developing guidelines and a manual on guaranteeing the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons in health-care settings; (e) developing a regional strategy for South America to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies by promoting the use of and access to contraceptives, and providing counselling and compulsory sexuality education in schools; and (f) legal recognition of safe and voluntary abortion. Ms. Lustemberg concluded that better political representation of women was required to address inequalities in and between countries and that real political leadership was needed at the highest levels in order to translate words into action. 55. Ms. Thapa highlighted the importance of gender-sensitive disaster preparedness, including measures to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health services in humanitarian situations. She noted the recent experience of Nepal in the aftermath of the earthquake, pointing out that despite the efforts made for disaster preparedness of the country prior to the earthquake, sexual and reproductive health services were not included in the immediate humanitarian response. The response lacked minimum services and did not even account for menstrual hygiene. She stated that based on that experience, the Government had worked together with civil society organizations and adopted guidelines and policies for humanitarian responses, addressing gender-related issues, including gender-based violence, safe abortion and women’s health needs more generally. 56. Ms. Thapa further noted that many adolescents were not aware of their rights to sexual and reproductive health, stressing the need to address social and cultural barriers. In doing so, she urged working with religious organizations and leaders in order to combat extremism and empower young women with leadership and opportunities. She highlighted the need for qualitative indicators on sexual and reproductive health rights and obstetric violence, concluding that a truly gender-equal world was only possible when women and girls had autonomous authority over their own bodies based on the recognition that sexual and reproductive health rights were fundamental human rights. 57. Mr. Khosla considered that the issue of gender-based violence was intersectional, but that this aspect had not been properly addressed. In terms of a way forward, he stressed the importance of (a) applying evidence-based interventions; (b) engaging men and boys to 12