A/HRC/41/2 against women of African descent; and improving detention conditions of women and children. 585. UNICEF noted the significant progress in reducing poverty in the country, in particular, the reduction of child poverty. It further congratulated Uruguay for the positive trend in tackling child mortality, reunifying children living in residential care with their families and communities and for a decrease in adolescent pregnancy. It remained concerned about the high rates of violence against children and encouraged the authorities to continue multi- sectoral efforts to prevent violence against children. 586. UNPF welcomed the outcome report of the third cycle of the universal periodic review, which demonstrated the commitment of Uruguay to the promotion and protection of human rights in the areas of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and specific rights of persons with disabilities, older persons, Afro descendants and other groups of persons in situations of vulnerability and disadvantage. 587. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela congratulated Uruguay for its efforts to implement the accepted recommendations. It recognized the efforts made to increase the rates of enrolment and permanence in the educational system, including the most vulnerable parts of the population. It appreciated the decrease in poverty, extreme poverty and inequality rates, which it noted as excellent. 588. Algeria congratulated Uruguay for the progress made against poverty and inequalities as well as for measures taken in favor of persons with disabilities, in particular the protocol aimed at their integration in educational institutions. It noted that Uruguay had accepted recommendations made by Algeria with regard to ensuring the accessibility of basic health services for persons with disabilities and reduction of school dropout rates among girls, which was being implemented. 589. Barbados commended Uruguay’s efforts to promote and protect human rights across the country, in particular its human rights agenda sought to permeate all its national policies and was made effective in collaboration with the civil society. It congratulated Uruguay for the recommendations accepted, including those made by Barbados, which demonstrated the willingness of Uruguay to continue strengthening its national systems for equality and nondiscrimination for the benefit of the Afro-descendant populations, indigenous persons, women and children, among others. 590. The Plurinational State of Bolivia appreciated that Uruguay was party to new fundamental instruments on human rights and their respective protocols as well as all subregional, regional and hemispheric instruments on human rights. It commended the acceptance by Uruguay of all recommendations received and thanked for the clarifications provided with regard to seven recommendations concerning the International Labour Organization Convention No. 169. 3. General comments made by other stakeholders 591. During the adoption of the outcome of the review of Uruguay, seven other stakeholders made statements. 592. International Planned Parenthood Federation welcomed Uruguay’s progress in recent years in adopting laws and public policies to uphold sexual and reproductive rights. The new regulations, however, were not sufficient to reduce inequalities. Therefore, it was necessary to provide enhanced training for health and education sectors on key areas of sexual and reproductive health. The organization recognized the importance of the legalisation on abortion in 2012, and noted the persistent barriers related to conscientious objection of gynaecologists in some parts of the country, resulting in grave violations on 96