General ­Recommendation General ­Recommendation No. 24 – Women and Health, 1999 Provisions related to Reproductive Rights According to Paragraph 2, “special attention should be given to the health needs and rights of women belonging to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, such as migrant women, refugee and ­internally displaced women, the girl child and older women, women in prostitution, indigenous women and women with physical or ­mental disabilities”. According to Paragraph 11, “Measures to eliminate ­discrimination against women are considered to be inappropriate if a health care system lacks services to prevent, detect and treat illnesses specifi c to women. It is discriminatory for a State party to refuse to legally ­provide for the performance of certain reproductive health ­services for women. For instance, if health service providers refuse to ­perform such services based on conscientious objection, ­measures should be introduced to ensure that women are referred to ­alternative health providers”. This is followed up in Paragraph 13, “The duty of States ­parties to ensure, on a basis of equality between men and women, access to health care services, information and education implies an ­obligation to respect, protect and fulfi l women’s rights to health care. States parties have the responsibility to ensure that legislation and executive action and policy comply with these three obligations. They must also put in place a system which ensures effective judicial action. Failure to do so will constitute a violation of article 12.” 142