CEDAW/C/77/D/143/2019 regular gynaecological examination free of charge despite their poor financial situation, while women of reproductive age from the majority community were accepted as patients and examined on the same day. In that connection, the Committee recalls that States parties’ compliance with article 12 of the Convention is central to the health and well-being of women and that special attention should be given to the health needs and rights of women belonging to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. States parties should report on measures taken to eliminate barriers that women face in access to health-care services and to ensure that women have timely and affordable access to such services, in particular those related to reproductive health. 13 7.8 The Committee observes that the State party did not contest those facts and failed to provide any specific information to the effect that the authors were offered access to any sexual and reproductive health-care services and that appropriate measures were taken to secure the authors’ access, in particular, to regular free of charge gynaecological services near their homes. In the absence of further information on file, the Committee concludes that the authors’ rights under article 12 of the Convention were also violated. 8. In accordance with article 7 (3) of the Optional Protocol, the Committee is of the view that the facts before it reveal a violation of the rights of the authors under articles 1, 2 (a), (c) and (e) and 12 of the Convention. The Committee refers to its general recommendations No. 24 and No. 28 (2010) on the core obligations of States parties under article 2 of the Convention. 9. In the light of the above conclusions, the Committee makes the following recommendations to the State party: (a) With regard to the authors: (i) Provide them with appropriate reparation, including through the recognition of the material and moral damages that they suffered as a consequence of their inadequate access to sexual and reproductive health care, in particular to regular gynaecological services; (ii) Provide them with access to affordable health-care services, in particular sexual and reproductive health care; (b) In general: (i) Adopt and implement specific and effective policies, programmes and targeted measures, in accordance with article 4 (1) of the Convention, i ncluding temporary special measures, taking into consideration general recommendation No. 25 (2004) on temporary special measures, to combat intersecting forms of discrimination and stereotypes in relation to Roma women and girls, including in health care, ensuring that language is not a barrier to gaining access to health services; (ii) Effectively implement new legislation relating to health, guarantee and ensure access to affordable and high-quality health care and sexual and reproductive health-care services without language barriers, in particular effective access to regular gynaecological examinations free of charge, and prevent and eliminate the practice of charging women and girls, in particular Roma women and girls, unlawful fees for public health -care services; take administrative measures to eliminate the unequal distribution of gynaecological services in the territory of the State party and allocate financial resources to support the equitable regional distribution of gynaecological facilities, especially in rural areas and areas in which Roma women and girls live; __________________ 13 20-16465 See general recommendation No. 24 (1999) on women and health, paras. 2, 6 and 21 –23. 9/10