should be provided, taking into account the need to overcome taboos and barriers. States should take steps to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality in adolescent girls, particularly caused by early pregnancy and unsafe abortion practices, and should support adolescent parents. In that respect, programmes that provide access to sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning, contraception and, where legal, safe abortion services, adequate and comprehensive obstetric care and counselling, and post-abortion care should be developed and implemented by the state.53 53 Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment No. 4 from 2003 on adolescent health and development, paras. 6, 9, 24 and 30-31. “The rights to sexual and reproductive health have an indispensable role to play in the struggle against intolerance, gender inequality, HIV/AIDS and poverty” … “increased attention [should] be devoted to a proper understanding of reproductive health, reproductive rights, sexual health and sexual rights”. Ill health is a human rights violation when caused by the failure of the state to respect, protect or fulfil a human rights obligation. Specifically with respect to ­reproductive and sexual health, the question is whether the states are doing all in their power to d ­ ismantle the barriers for the full enjoyment by individuals of their right to sexual and reproductive health. Source: The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, 2004 The human rights treaty bodies have in many of their concluding observations, expressed concern with respect to high maternal mortality rates. The committees have made note of disadvantaged groups, including indigenous persons and persons in rural and remote areas, stressing the need for equitable distribution of benefits.54 The need for effective programmes to combat vertical transmission of HIV has been specifically mentioned in a few cases, as has the need for fully subsidized HIV/AIDS treatments. Promotion of breastfeeding has been encouraged by the Committee on the Rights of the Child. 54 For an overview of Concluding Observations, see Annex 1. 112 Equally consistent have been the committees’ insistence on the obligation to ensure all-encompassing access to sexual and reproductive health services, including contraceptives, for women and adolescents, as well as for indigenous persons, ethnic and linguistic minorities, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and persons in rural or remote areas. The Special Rapporteur’s Report of 13 September 200655 focuses on maternal mortality and access to medicines. According to him the right to health should not be seen as a right to specific health-related goods, services and facilities but rather as 55 A/61/338.