A/68/44 Illegal abortions (23) The Committee takes note of the explicit recognition of sexual and reproductive rights accorded in article 66 of the Constitution and of article 20.I.7 of Act No. 348, which sets forth the State party’s obligation to “respect the decisions taken by women victims of violence in exercising their sexual rights and their reproductive rights in accordance with the laws and regulations in force”. However, the Committee notes with concern that, under article 266 (permissible abortions) of the Criminal Code, rape victims who decide to interrupt their pregnancy must obtain authorization from a judge in order to do so. Information made available to the Committee regarding the use of the right to conscientious objection by the judiciary indicates that this requirement constitutes an insurmountable obstacle in many cases, and women in this situation are therefore forced to undergo illegal abortions, with all the health risks that this entails (arts. 2 and 16). The State party should ensure that rape victims who voluntarily decide to interrupt their pregnancy have access to safe abortions. To this end, the State party should do away with any unnecessary obstacle in that regard. The Committee refers the State party to the recommendations made to it by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW/C/BOL/CO/4, paras. 42 and 43). The Committee against Torture urges the State party to evaluate what effects the current highly restrictive laws on abortion have on women’s health. Forced labour and servitude (24) The Committee regrets that it has received very little information on the implementation of the transitional interministerial plan to defend the rights of the Guaraní people or on progress in eradicating forced labour and servitude in Guaraní communities (arts. 2 and 16). The Committee urges the State party to redouble its efforts to eradicate forced labour and servitude and to continue its efforts to implement the agreements reached between government authorities and representatives of the Guaraní people in this regard. Other issues (25) The Committee invites the State party to deposit an instrument of ratification for the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. (26) The Committee invites the State party to disseminate its report to the Committee and these concluding observations widely, in all the appropriate languages, by means of official websites, the media and NGOs. (27) The Committee requests the State party to furnish it with information by 31 May 2014, at the latest, on the action it has taken in response to the recommendations that it: (a) consolidate or strengthen fundamental legal safeguards for persons in custody; (b) promptly conduct impartial, effective investigations; and (c) prosecute persons suspected of committing torture or ill-treatment and punish those found guilty of having done so. These recommendations are set forth in paragraphs 9 (b), 11 (d) and 13 (c) herein. In addition, the Committee would like to be informed about the measures adopted to prevent and deal appropriately with cases of sexual abuse of children in educational institutions. The corresponding recommendation is set forth in paragraph 16 (a) herein. (28) The Committee invites the State party to submit its third periodic report by 31 May 2017. To that end, it invites the State party to agree, by 31 May 2014, to use the optional reporting procedure, whereby the Committee would transmit a list of issues to the State GE.13-46043 103