A/HRC/40/49 aim more specifically at fostering exchanges and generating lessons learned on the monitoring and reporting mechanism of grave violations and United Nations engagement with listed parties. A first regional high-level meeting, followed by a technical-level meeting of the country task forces covering the countries of the Middle East and North Africa region was organized from 12 to 15 November 2018 in the presence of the Special Representative. The Special Representative and UNICEF agreed with the relevant funds and programmes that they would enhance and further formalize their participation in the monitoring and reporting mechanism. The Special Representative was encouraged that some, such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Health Organization, had already developed mechanisms and guidance to systematize their monitoring of grave violations against children and their participation in country task forces. She encouraged other agencies, such as the United Nations Population Fund and the International Labour Organization, to do the same. Further regional meetings are planned for early 2019 in East and West Africa and in Asia. B. Awareness-raising and field visits 41. The Special Representative and her Office continued to use visits to countries on the children and armed conflict agenda and international high-level events as a means of raising awareness and advocating for the protection of children affected by conflict. 42. As the leading United Nations advocate for the protection of conflict-affected children, the Special Representative travelled to Geneva in March 2018 to participate in the interactive dialogue on children and armed conflict held during the thirty-seventh session of the Human Rights Council. She also participated as a panel member in a side event on the Safe Schools Declaration. The same month, she was invited to speak at the tenth session of the Global Child Forum in Stockholm. In May 2018 in New York, she delivered a keynote speech at the launch of the report by the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, Education Under Attack 2018. She also participated in several other events related to education in conflict, notably one organized in June 2018 by Qatar, Belgium and the Education Above all Foundation in New York to explore the use of education as a tool to prevent extremism. 43. The Special Representative visited the Sudan in February 2018 to assess the progress made by the Government in the implementation of its action plan addressing child recruitment and use, signed in March 2016. In that regard, she welcomed the significant advances made by the Government, while encouraging swift implementation of the remaining measures of the action plan. Strong advocacy work and sustained technical support has led to the completion of all pending requirements and as a result, the armed and security forces of the Sudan were delisted from the annexes of the annual report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict for 2017. The visit of the Special Representative was also an opportunity for her to encourage the Sudan to become a regional model of child protection, including through transforming its action plan into a national plan for the prevention of violations against children. 44. In April and October 2018, the Special Representative participated in workshops in Buenos Aires and Medellin, Colombia, respectively, where she engaged with networks of Latin American associations providing health and other services to facilitate access to those services for children recovering from conflict in Colombia. As mentioned above, the Special Representative also travelled to Colombia in May 2018 to take part in an event on lessons learned and best practices in the prevention of child recruitment and the protection of children affected by armed conflict. 45. In May 2018, the Special Representative also travelled to Myanmar to ascertain the level of implementation of the action plan to end and prevent child recruitment and use by the Tatmadaw, signed in June 2012. She held constructive discussions with the Government, including on the progress made in the implementation of the action plan and the steps remaining, the expeditious passage of the draft child law and the inclusion of child protection issues in the ongoing peace dialogue. The authorities committed to implementing those measures by the end of 2018. The Special Representative also urged the Government 12