E/C.12/GC/22
provide such services should be available at all times in both public and private facilities
and within reasonable geographical reach. 16
Accessibility
15.
Health facilities, goods, information and services related to sexual and reproductive
health care17 should be accessible to all individuals and groups without discrimination and
free from barriers. As elaborated in the Committee’s general comment No. 14, accessibility
includes physical accessibility, affordability and information accessibility.
Physical accessibility
16.
Health facilities, goods, information and services related to sexual and reproductive
health care must be available within safe physical and geographical reach for all, so that
persons in need can receive timely services and information. Physical accessibility should
be ensured for all, especially persons belonging to disadvantaged and marginalized groups,
including, but not limited to, persons living in rural and remote areas, persons with
disabilities, refugees and internally displaced persons, stateless persons and persons in
detention. When dispensing sexual and reproductive services to remote areas is
impracticable, substantive equality calls for positive measures to ensure that persons in
need have communication and transportation to such services.
Affordability
17.
Publicly or privately provided sexual and reproductive health services must be
affordable for all. Essential goods and services, including those related to the underlying
determinants of sexual and reproductive health, must be provided at no cost or based on the
principle of equality to ensure that individuals and families are not disproportionately
burdened with health expenses. People without sufficient means should be provided with
the support necessary to cover the costs of health insurance and access to health facilities
providing sexual and reproductive health information, goods and services. 18
Information accessibility
18.
Information accessibility includes the right to seek, receive and disseminate
information and ideas concerning sexual and reproductive health issues generally, and also
for individuals to receive specific information on their particular health status. All
individuals and groups, including adolescents and youth, have the right to evidence-based
information on all aspects of sexual and reproductive health, including maternal health,
contraceptives, family planning, sexually transmitted infections, HIV prevention, safe
abortion and post-abortion care, infertility and fertility options, and reproductive cancer.
19.
Such information must be provided in a manner consistent with the needs of the
individual and the community, taking into consideration, for example, age, gender,
language ability, educational level, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and
16
International Planned Parenthood Federation – European Network v. Italy, complaint
No. 87/2012 (2014), resolution adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of
Europe on 30 April 2014.
17
Reference in the present document to health facilities, goods and services includes the
underlying determinants.
18
See, generally, Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights general comment No. 14,
para. 19.
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