4. Going on visits around the country should also be part of monitoring. The availability, accessibility and quality of reproductive rights services tends to differ substantially between the main urban centres and the rural areas, making missions outside of the capital necessary. Based on information from civil society and the press a NHRI should be able to decide where to go and whom to visit. With respect to reproductive rights, it will normally be relevant to visit hospitals and clinics providing family planning services and pre- and post-natal care, and check the availability of essential medicines, including modern contraceptive methods, and assess the reliability of procurement and supply chains. It is also relevant to visit schools, interview teachers responsible for sexuality education, and visit other places where youth gather. Attempts should furthermore be made to get in contact with parts of the population that do not normally access formal structures such as hospitals, for example because they are based in very remote areas or because they belong to stigmatized groups. 5. In addition to monitoring the general situation with respect to reproductive rights, a NHRI should attempt to monitor the implementation of public policies and programmes that have a potential to influence the enjoyment of reproductive rights. As mentioned above, customary and traditional law and practice tend to weigh heavily on the enjoyment of reproductive rights so a NHRI should take steps to monitor how the state deals with such issues. 44 6. Reproductive rights is one of the areas where certain categories, namely women and adolescents, are at greatest risk of violations and where certain vulnerable groups, such as poor rural communities, LGBT persons and others, are easily overlooked or might be subject to factual discrimination even if the law or policy appears neutral. Consequently, monitoring should focus on cases of discrimination. SOUTH AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MONITORING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS As part of its constitutional duties, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) annually ­monitors the implementation of economic and social rights. Its 7th such report from 2010 focused on the attainment of the MDGs, i­ncluding MDG 5 on maternal m ­ ortality. SAHRC concluded that maternal mortality actually seemed to be on the increase in South Africa and repeated its calls for the Department of Health to investigate child and maternal mortality.

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