A/HRC/39/26 I. Introduction 1. In September 2012, the Human Rights Council adopted its resolution 21/6, in which it welcomed the technical guidance on the application of a human rights-based approach to the implementation of policies and programmes for the reduction of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity. Two follow-up implementation reports were produced, in 2014 (A/HRC/27/20) and in 2016 (A/HRC/33/24). In September 2016, in its resolution 33/18, the Council requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to prepare a report on good practices and challenges in the application of a human rights-based approach to the elimination of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, including through the utilization of the technical guidance. The present report is submitted in response to that request. 2. At the request of the Council, OHCHR organized a panel discussion in March 2017, during the thirty-fourth session of the Human Rights Council, which provided an opportunity to highlight positive initiatives to address maternal mortality and morbidity from a human rights perspective. The discussions pointed to the need for stronger accountability for the realization of human rights in the context of maternal health, and sexual and reproductive health more broadly. 3. Drawing on submissions received by a wide variety of stakeholders, 1 the present report highlights initiatives, good practices and challenges related to the implementation of the technical guidance and a human rights-based approach more generally. 4. The second section of the report examines the application of a human rights-based approach to reduce preventable maternal mortality and morbidity in humanitarian settings, a dimension that was not the focus of the technical guidance. As the majority of preventable maternal deaths have occurred in settings of conflict, natural disasters and displacement, there was a need to further consider how a rights-based approach would contribute to humanitarian efforts. The present report takes a first step in that direction. II. Dissemination and promotion activities 5. Efforts to disseminate the technical guidance continued from 2016. Around the world, the guidance was referred to in numerous publications, reports and documents and was also widely disseminated and promoted by stakeholders. 2 The International Planned Parenthood Federation and the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education utilized their global networks to raise awareness of, seek information on and advocate for its implementation.3 6. OHCHR continued its work to disseminate the technical guidance through briefings, workshops and bilateral engagements with States and other stakeholders at the national, regional and international levels. 7. The technical guidance formed a key component in the advocacy of OHCHR in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including its promotion during 1 2 3 For the complete list of submission, please visit: www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Women/WRGS/Pages/ FollowUpReport2018.aspx. See Independent Accountability Panel, Old Challenges, New Hopes: Accountability for the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016), p. 9; World Health Organization (WHO), Monitoring human rights in contraceptive services and programmes (Geneva, 2017); B. Mason Meier and L.O. Gosti (eds), Human Rights in Global Health (Oxford University Press, 2018); E.A. Friedman, “An Independent Review and Accountability Mechanism for the Sustainable Development Goals: The Possibilities of a Framework Convention on Global Health”, in Health and Human Rights Journal (June 2016), pp. 129–140; P. Hunt, “Interpreting the International Right to Health in a Human Rights-Based Approach to Health”, in Health and Human Rights Journal (December 2016), pp. 109–130. See also submissions by UNFPA Uganda and Roda. 3