1. Please comment on the progress made in bringing domestic legislation into line with the provisions and principles of the Convention. In connection with the adoption of a new Children's Code, please provide information on any difficulties encountered as regards its adoption by the Legislature and the solutions offered to remedy any such difficulties. (Paras. 65-66 of the report).

2. Please provide a brief analysis of the effectiveness of present institutional arrangements in coordinating the efforts to promote the rights of the child and to monitor implementation of the Convention. Are there any plans to establish other institutions such as an ombudsperson for children?

3. To what extent is article 4 of the Convention concerning the allocation "to the maximum extent of (...) available resources for the rights of the child" being implemented at the national and local governmental levels? In particular, how are the different levels of government applying this principle in their policy decision making so as to ensure that disparities do not develop between and within regions in relation to the provision of social services?

4. Please provide information on the measures taken to develop mechanisms for the determination of appropriate indicators on the status of children. Please indicate how the statistical data and other information collected on the situation of children have been used as a basis for designing programmes to implement the Convention. In light of the statement contained in para. 200 of the report that "Current health policy has led to an overall reduction in direct State intervention in all areas and the concentration of State assistance on the poorest population groups" please provide further details on how the Government is ensuring that specific "safety nets" are in place for all children in need.

5. What measures have been taken to train professionals such as judges, lawyers, social workers and teachers about the principles and provisions of the Convention?

6. Please indicate any further measures taken to create widespread awareness among adults and children alike, including the personnel working in the mass media, government officials, legislators and decision makers, about the principles and provisions of the Convention and their implementation. (Paras. 146-149 of the report). How does the Government plan to widely disseminate its initial report and the Committee's observations following consideration of this report?

7. Please provide information on the minimum legal age for marriage for boys and girls. What possibilities exist for children to receive medical and legal counselling without parental consent?

8. Please provide clarification as to the minimum age for completion of compulsory education and the minimum age for employment.

(a) Non-discrimination (Article 2)

9. Please provide information on the steps taken to prevent and eliminate discriminatory attitudes or prejudices and to ensure an effective protection against discrimination particularly towards the girl child, disabled children, children born out of wedlock and children belonging to a racial minority.

(b) Best interests of the child (Article 3)

10. Please illustrate how the principle of the "best interests of the child", as provided for in article 3 of the Convention, is taken into account and applied in practice, including in legal, administrative and other proceedings affecting the child. (Para. 63 of the report).

(c) Respect for the views of the child (Art. 12)

11. What procedures exist to ensure that the views of the child are taken into account in practice in relation to a change in his/her name or matters relating to his/her custody or adoption?

12. Please indicate the measures taken to sensitize and mobilize public opinion concerning the need to register births.

13. With reference to the statement contained in para. 146 of the report that the "public radio and television services are considering broadcasting programmes designed for the age groups with which the Convention is concerned", what progress has been achieved in this regard?

14. Has any evaluation been undertaken as to the effectiveness of the programme to combat and eliminate the problems of domestic and sexual violence, including through the use of measures of mediation? (Paras. 163,165-166 of the report). Has the proposed children's SOS service been implemented? (Para. 168 of the report).

15. Please indicate the concrete measures taken to sensitise and educate staff of schools on the issues of child abuse and neglect.

16. Please provide information on the family education and counselling programmes available in Uruguay, particularly with respect to promoting awareness of the principle of equal parental responsibilities. Have any recent evaluations been undertaken as to the effectiveness of these programmes?

17. In light of the information contained in para. 99 of the report, how many children over the age of 3 have been separated from their family on account of the family being unable, economically, to support their children?

18. In relation to information contained in paras. 172-173 concerning a child who has been temporarily or permanently deprived of his or her family, please provide clarification as to the level of financial support, in the form of a pay and travel allowance, being given to "carers" entrusted with the upbringing of this child.

19. With reference to information contained in paras. 105 and 150-153 of the report please provide clarification as to the measures taken to enforce parental responsibility for the maintenance of the child, including for children born out of wedlock.

20. Have any changes in the incidence of one-parent families been noted over the last five years and, if so, what are the main causes of such changes? In addition, please provide further information on the measures in place

to support single parent families in their child rearing responsibilities.

21. How has the level of child allowance developed, over the last five years, in relation to changes in the cost of living?

22. Have programmes been adopted to prevent and reduce the abandonment of children, and if so are such programmes adequate?

23. What systems and procedures exist for the supervision of institutions for the alternative care for children, including the National Minors' Institute? Please provide further information also on the mechanisms in place to ensure the effective monitoring of the situation of children in such institutions.

24. Please indicate the measures taken to ensure that parents giving up their children for adoption are allowed sufficient opportunity to weigh up the consequences of and alternatives to adoption. Is the Government considering the possibility of becoming a party to the various Hague Conventions relating to Maintenance Obligations, Child Abduction and Intercountry Adoption?

25. In the case of full or legal adoption, does the child have a right to know the identity of his/her biological parents?

26. What major obstacles are still being encountered in improving the situation of disabled children as regards efforts to rehabilitate them and what is the role played by community-based rehabilitation in this regard?

27. Please provide disaggregated data by region, rural and poorer urban areas on the infant and under five mortality rates.

28. Please indicate whether teenage pregnancies is a problem in Uruguay. In addition, please provide further information on the prevailing situation as regards access to family planning education and services. Please also provide more information on the health and family education provided in schools.

29. Please provide more information on the public information campaigns, if any, in place for the prevention of disability, accidents and HIV/AIDS infection.

30. Has any evaluation been undertaken with respect to the relevance and quality of compulsory education? If so, what were the results? In addition, please indicate whether the views of students were sought in the evaluation process.

31. Please provide further information on the measures taken to prevent children from dropping out of school and engaging in employment and what are their results?

32. Please provide more information on the role played by the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the teaching of human rights offered in primary and secondary schools. (Paras. 146-149 and 239-240 of the report)

33. To what extent does urban planning in Montevideo take account of the need to provide safe areas for play grounds and play parks for children? Are children allowed to participate in the process of decision-making on the development of leisure and recreation facilities and areas for their use? (Para. 161 of the report.)

Special protection measures

34. In view of the information contained in para. 285 of the report, please indicate whether the legislation presently in force in Uruguay permits for the admissibility of statements made by minors during investigation when their defenders are not present.

35. In light of the information contained in para. 271 of the report, what steps have been taken to prevent the ill-treatment and abuse of children in detention? Has the issue of the prohibition of the ill-treatment and abuse of children been covered in the Codes of Conduct for Law Enforcement Personnel and in their training as well as in the training of other State officials, especially members of the public security forces?

36. In view of information contained in para. 273 of the report, please provide additional information about the effectiveness of Decree No. 21 of 3 June 1993 in correcting abuses by juvenile courts in their application of measures which impose limits on the freedom of movement of children, especially in ensuring that the provisions of article 37 (b) and (d) of the Convention are respected for children in institutions and other places of detention.

37. With reference to information contained in para. 274, please indicate the status of the Bill which would allow for the "detention of minors in places intended for adults, subject to certain guarantees".

38. Has any recent evaluation been undertaken as to the adequacy of the measures in place to ensure the effective supervision of institutions for the detention of children and the monitoring of the situation of children in such institutions? If so, please provide details of its main conclusions.

39. Please provide more information on the availability and adequacy of educational and health facilities and on the level of training of personnel providing such services in institutions and other places of detention for children; as well as on the measures taken to ensure the physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of children in detention in accordance with article 39 of the Convention, including the possible recruitment of more social workers to assist in the rehabilitation process.

40. Please provide further information on the measures taken to implement legislation concerning minimum age of employment and to combat the economic exploitation of children.

41. Please provide details of the provisions of the new Civil Code concerning the problems of sexual abuse and exploitation. In addition, please provide more information on the proposed legislation to prevent the entry of under-age immigrants who may be used for prostitution. Does national legislation ban the production, sale and possession of child pornography? (See paras. 171 and 258 to 267 of the report).

42. Please provide more information on the incidence of drug abuse among children and the programmes in place to prevent and combat this problem. (Paras. 243 and 256-257, 201 and 195)