E/C.12/PRY/CO/4 for environmental protection, including, in particular, protection against the use of toxic agrochemicals, which establishes appropriate penalties for offenders and adequate compensation for the persons affected. The right to adequate food 26. The Committee notes with concern that, despite the State party’s efforts, rates of undernutrition in the general population and rates of malnutrition in children remain very high. The Committee recommends that the State party redouble its efforts to protect the right to adequate food and step up initiatives to effectively address food insecurity and child malnutrition, especially in rural areas. The Committee further recommends that the State party expedite the adoption of the bill on food and nutrition security. Right to decent housing, water and sanitation 27. The Committee notes with concern that, despite the measures taken by the State party, a significant housing shortage remains. It is also concerned about the lack of drinking water and sanitation services, particularly in rural areas (art. 11). Bearing in mind its general comment No. 4 (1991) on the right to adequate housing, general comment No. 15 (2002) on the right to water and its statement on the right to sanitation (2011), the Committee recommends that the State party adopt all necessary measures to improve the availability and supply of low-cost housing, especially for underprivileged and marginalized individuals and groups. The Committee also recommends that the State party ensure the provision of safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation, especially in rural areas. Right to health 28. The Committee welcomes the State party’s efforts to improve access to health-care services, including by providing such services free of charge. The Committee is nonetheless concerned about the insufficient financial and human resources, the inadequate supply of medicine and the poor quality and availability of health-care services, especially in remote and rural areas. The Committee recommends that the State party allocate sufficient resources to the health sector and continue its efforts to ensure the accessibility, availability and quality of health care, particularly in remote and rural areas. The Committee specifically recommends that the State party improve the infrastructure of the primary care system and ensure that hospitals have the medical staff, supplies and medicines needed to deal with emergency cases. Sexual and reproductive health 29. The Committee is concerned that, despite the State party’s efforts, teenage pregnancy and maternal mortality rates remain high, a situation due, in part, to the lack of adequate sexual and reproductive health services and information and the large number of unsafe abortions (art. 12). In the light of its previous recommendation (E/C.12/PRY/CO/3, para. 32), the Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Take the necessary legislative and administrative measures to prevent maternal mortality and morbidity, taking into account the technical guidance provided by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 8 GE.15-04384E