A/HRC/14/39 of information, and accountability.95 The strengthening of these systems is beneficial to all citizens, not just women. It is, however, also costly, and illustrates clearly the interlinkages among development, human rights and public health. 44. In this connection, the Special Rapporteur on the right to health has emphasized that: “The right to health gives rise to a responsibility of international assistance and cooperation on developed States to assist developing States to realize the right to health. Developed States should support developing States’ efforts to reduce maternal mortality. This responsibility is reflected in Millennium Development Goal 8, which is a commitment to develop a global partnership for development.”96 Thus, donor countries have a responsibility to provide international cooperation and assistance. IV. Overview of initiatives and activities within the United Nations system and beyond to address all causes of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity 45. An exhaustive overview of all major existing global initiatives and activities to address preventable maternal mortality and morbidity would be overwhelming in length. A preliminary analysis of the types of activities, roughly categorized under normative and policy development, service provision, and accountability, confirms the significant number of existing initiatives but also highlights the need for coherence and enhanced action in specific areas. A. Normative and policy development 46. The elaboration on human rights law by human rights mechanisms referred to extensively in the present report has not been done in isolation, but alongside commitments made by States in international conferences and global initiatives. In 1994 the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development adopted a Programme of Action, identifying as objectives, among others, the promotion of women’s health and safe motherhood, the achievement of a rapid and substantial reduction in maternal morbidity and mortality, and the reduction in the differences observed between and within developed and developing countries. Recognizing the impact of unsafe abortion as “a major public health concern”, the Programme of Action urges Governments to spare no effort in preventing high-risk pregnancies and births, particularly those of adolescents, as well as unwanted pregnancies and “to reduce the recourse to abortion through expanded and improved family planning services”.97 The Programme of Action further states in paragraph 8.25 that: “in circumstances where abortion is not against the law, such abortion should be safe. In all cases, women should have access to quality services for the management of complications arising from abortion”. At the United Nations five-year review of the Programme of Action, it was agreed that “in circumstances where abortion is not against the law, health systems should train and equip health-service providers and should take other measures to ensure that such abortion is safe and accessible”.98 95 96 97 98 GE.10-12949 A/61/338, para. 19. Ibid., para. 20. Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), para. 8.25. Report of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole, “Key actions for the further implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development” (A/S21/5/Add.1), para. 63 (iii). 17