A/HRC/14/39 the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, it is established that States must provide “access to the information, education, and means” to enable women to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children. The Committee on the Rights of the Child has emphasized that States “should provide adolescents with access to sexual and reproductive information, including on family planning and contraceptives, the dangers of early pregnancy, the prevention of HIV/AIDS and the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases”.71 The right to the benefits of scientific progress, as explicitly recognized in ICESCR (art. 15, para. 1), is particularly salient in the maternal mortality and morbidity context, as numerous low-cost health interventions, to which women are entitled access, could substantially reduce maternal death and disability.72 C. Human rights-based approach to maternal mortality and morbidity 32. The practical implications of the human rights values of dignity and nondiscrimination result in a set of working principles that form the basis of a human rights approach. The treaty bodies and United Nations experts have clarified the importance of seven such principles: accountability, participation, transparency, empowerment, sustainability, international cooperation and non-discrimination.73 These principles have particular application when examining a human rights-based approach to addressing maternal mortality and morbidity as discussed in this section. 1. Accountability 33. Accountability is at the core of the enjoyment of all human rights and has two main components: addressing past grievances and correcting systemic failure to prevent future harm. Accountability is sometimes narrowly understood to mean blame and punishment, whereas it is more accurately regarded as a process to determine what is working (so it can be repeated) and what is not (so it can be adjusted).74 34. The Human Rights Committee has articulated State obligations regarding accountability in the context of the right to life, in the form of a State obligation to prevent, investigate or redress harm caused by acts of private persons or entities.75 In this connection, the Committee emphasized the need for administrative mechanisms to give effect to the obligation to investigate allegations of violations promptly, thoroughly, effectively and impartially.76 35. CESCR has clarified that States must establish mechanisms and institutions that can effectively address both the individual and the structural nature of harm caused by discrimination in the enjoyment of rights.77 It has also specified that strengthening independent human rights structures and the participation of human rights advocates are 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 14 CRC, general comment No. 4: Adolescent health and development in the context of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (2003), para. 28. Furthermore, in its resolution 11/8, the Human Rights Council has recognized that preventable maternal mortality requires effective promotion and protection of the rights of women and girls to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress, among other rights. Non-discrimination is dealt with in section A of the present chapter; we will therefore lay out only the other six principles. Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to health (A/HRC/4/28), para. 46. Human Rights Committee, general comment No. 31, para. 8. Ibid., para. 15. CESCR, general comment No. 20, para. 40. GE.10-12949