Participation should be regarded not only as a tool but also as a goal for achieving universal access to reproductive rights because participation means that the affected people have decided for themselves. Participation is closely connected to ownership and is therefore paramount when implementing reproductive rights. Empowerment and participation are also connected to the right to information as one cannot be empowered and participate without proper information. In the case of reproductive rights, information on contraceptives, HIV/AIDS and other STIs, cervical cancer, family planning and pre- and post-natal health care should be widely available. Similarly, access to information, including information on government policies, budgetary allocations and public expenditure, is a prerequisite for accountability and meaningful participation in all stages of policymaking, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. On that account, local, regional and national entities dealing with sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights must be accessible to the population. Information relating to reproductive rights should be available, transparent and timely and in a form and language that can be accessed also by the most vulnerable, the illiterate etc. In its own programmes, a NHRI should take steps to ensure the participation of all stakeholders, including marginalized groups. Among the issues that a NHRI should focus on when working with reproductive rights is that the state designs its programmes in such a way as to ensure proper p ­ articipation and empowerment of the concerned ­individuals and groups. ACCOUNTABILITY AND RULE OF LAW States and other duty-bearers have to comply with the legal norms and standards enshrined in human rights instruments. Where they fail to do so, rights-holders should be able to institute proceedings for appropriate redress before a competent court, a NHRI, an administrative body or similar in accordance with rules and procedures provided by law, thereby holding duty-bearers accountable for the non-compliance with human rights norms and standards. Planning, design and implementation of government policy should be done in a transparent manner to give right-holders a real possibility to hold duty-bearers accountable during all phases. 82 This requires clear roles and responsibilities, transparent decision-making processes and criteria, access to information, and effective mechanisms to demand accountability. In addition to ensuring that the processes are transparent at all levels and that there are recourse opportunities, it is necessary to build the capacity of rights-holders (individuals and groups) to ensure that they can make use of the means afforded them. Accountability is not only important in the duty-bearer/rights-holders relationship, but also among duty-bearers themselves. In the health system, especially where reproductive health is concerned, accountability between health workers and the users they