A/HRC/27/20 based approach to maternal mortality and morbidity”; and the panellists shared experiences about how the technical guidance could be used in their work. 15. At the regional level, the Asia-Pacific regional office of UNFPA prepared a series of thematic briefs in preparation for the sixth Asian and Pacific Population Conference, held in September 2013. Two of the briefs — on the human rights elements of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and on maternal health — made specific reference to the technical guidance; they were circulated among all delegates and observers at the sixth Asian and Pacific Population Conference. The Conference recognized “the critical role of policymakers, parliamentarians, community leaders and media in fostering an enabling environment for the full and equal enjoyment of human rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights” (E/ESCAP/APPC(6)/3). 16. Another initiative in Asia is the work of the Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. This organization presented the technical guidance at the Regional Workshop on the Promotion of Maternal Health and Reduction of Maternal Mortality, organized by the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights and held on 27 and 28 March 2014 in Manila. The workshop’s outcome document, the “ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights action plan to promote maternal health and reproductive rights”, reaffirms the human rights of women, and references the technical guidance, among other human rights instruments. 17. Going beyond simple dissemination, certain organizations took proactive steps to raise awareness about the technical guidance, organizing webinars to enhance understanding of the content of the technical guidance. For instance, in February 2013, UNFPA held a webinar in which 36 of their field presences participated, with several offices committing themselves to pursuing implementation of the guidance at the national level. Ipas, an organization working on four continents to end unsafe abortion, organized a webinar for its staff to increase awareness and promote utilization of the technical guidance. 18. Specific efforts were also made to enhance understanding of the technical guidance among experts. For instance, in its first report, the independent Expert Review Group on Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health recognized that robust implementation of the technical guidance would be an important tool for reaching Millennium Development Goal 5, on maternal health,6 and acknowledged the important interface between the health and human rights communities. As a result, OHCHR and the World Health Organization (WHO) organized a briefing for these treaty body experts and independent Expert Review Group on Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health experts, during which the main elements of the technical guidance were presented. The subsequent report of the independent Expert Review Group on Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health again referred to the technical guidance as an important practical tool.7 Another example is the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which held an expert group meeting in January 2014 on sexual health and reproductive rights, where the technical guidance was used as a resource. The report of that meeting builds on the guidance, particularly with regard to ensuring that sexual and reproductive health services for indigenous women and girls are available, accessible, acceptable and of good quality. 19. The technical guidance was also presented at the eleventh International Conference of National Human Rights Institutions, held in Amman from 4 to 7 November 2012, where 6 7 6 Independent Expert Review Group on Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health, Every Woman, Every Child: From Commitments to Action (2012), p. 45. Independent Expert Review Group on Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health, Every Woman, Every Child: Strengthening Equity and Dignity through Health (2013), p. 57.