Uruguay

2015: Attended the state consultations on the SSD in Geneva – led by Norway + 2015: Present at the First International Conference on the SSD in Oslo.

August 2016: CAAC Open Debate: “Also reprehensible is the growing use of explosive weapons and aerial bombings against civilian targets perpetrated by various parties to armed conflicts, including schools, hospitals and populated areas, which deprives children of access to education and has an adverse effect on the provision of humanitarian assistance.”

January – March 2017: Core Group member in Geneva. Suggested a joint statement by endorsing states at the HRC interactive dialogue on CAAC. Carried out advocacy to Belgium as GoF co-chair.

March 2017: Attended Buenos Aires Conference on Safe Schools.

April 2017: Attended post-conference briefing for missions in New York. Open to including Safe Schools on agenda of next GoF meeting.

September 2017 UNSC: GCPEA sent a letter to the ambassador in New York asking to raise the issue on attacks and military use, draw attention to the Declaration and the Guidelines during the Open Debate on children and armed conflict. As current UNSC member, we also asked to encourge Colombia, Peru and UK to endorse.

January 2018: GCPEA wrote to Uruguay to request them to insert language condemning military use of schools in the upcoming Human Rights Council resolution on the rights of the child in humanitarian situations.

February 2018: During OPAC Turns 18, at the UN in New York, organized by Child Soldiers International, highlighted the Declaration in their statement.

March 2018: At Save the Children side event: Rehabilitation and reintegration of children affected by armed conflict: the specific needs of girls, Uruguay, highlighted the Declaration, with the Ambassador of Uruguay making a strong statement of support.

June 2018: During the GCPEA briefing to the group of friends on CAAC, Uruguay referred to the inclusion of the Guidelines in their ENOPU training curriculum which has had a good effect in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when education is a priority and their peacekeepers often interact with students and teachers.

July 2018: UNSC Open Debate on children and armed conflict: 1) Joined Argentina’s joint statement to the UN SC during the open debate on children and armed conflict. 2) Co-sponsored resolution 2427 (2018). 3) also joined the statement of Canada on behalf of the GoF which mentioned the Safe Schools Declaration.

October 2018: During GCPEA briefing for GoF WPS, Uruguay called for increased endorsement and more meetings to address this topic, including Arria formula meetings. Uruguay would highlight the issue in their statement to the Security Council during the open debate.

November 2018: Uruguay has intorudced language on SSD in the UNGA rights of the child resolution.

March 2019: attended GCPEA side-event on “Better Protecting Women and Girls from Attacks on Education” in Geneva.

March 2019: Clustered Interactive Dialogue with the SRSG CAAC Virginia Gamba, HRC Geneva: joined Norway’s joint statement on the Safe Schools Declaration.

March 2019: co-sponsored Education Above All side event “Education in the 2030 Agenda – Leaving no one behind: Children with disabilities, girls, forcibly displaced children and minorities”.

May 2019: Participated in the Third International Conference in Palma.

March 2020: During the Interactive Dialogue: Commission of inquiry on Syria, they mentioned that children have little to no access to education, food and protection. Civilian infrastructure (schools, hospitals) need to be protected under any circumstances

October 2021: cosponsored UNSRC2601.

July 2022: At the UNSC CAAC debate : – “In early 2020, Uruguay adopted its child-protection policy for personnel deployed in peace operations, thus becoming the first country in the peacekeeping system to have a specific policy for the protection of children in conflict situations […] I would also like to underscore the launch by our country’s Ministry of National Defence in November 2021 of a national guide for child-protection instructors in peacekeeping missions that includes chapters on training, prevention, detection, protection of the rights of victims, the drafting of reports and the screening of personnel prior to deployment.”
– “In conclusion, Uruguay once again calls on those States that have not yet done so to adhere to the relevant protocols on the protection of children, including the Paris Principles, the Vancouver Principles and the Safe Schools Declaration”

November 2022: Endorsed the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences Arising from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA) on 18 November during an International Conference hosted by Ireland, the leader and penholder behind the Declaration.