The 2025 annual report of Amnesty International on Uruguay warned about the situation of the child protection system and pointed out that 114 minors died under the guardianship of the Institute for Children and Adolescents of Uruguay (INAU) between 2020 and 2025of which 20 died during 2025.
The organization warned that these cases “do not constitute isolated episodes,” but rather evidence “structural deficits” in the operation of the system.
The report points to problems at different levels: prevention, risk assessment, coordination between institutions and supervision of protection measures.
According to the document, in several cases there was a history of violence or risk indicators that were not addressed sufficiently to avoid fatal outcomes or situations of revictimization.
The events mentioned include deaths of babies in contexts of abandonment, homicides of adolescents with a history of family violence, and situations of extreme vulnerability detected late.
Reinforced State Responsibility
Amnesty stressed that, when minors are under state guardianship, the duty of protection is greater and requires “diligent, preventive and articulated” action.
However, the repetition of serious cases indicates that these standards “they are not being fully guaranteed”according to the report.
The organization also questioned the lack of resources and clear information about how the system works.
In that sense, he warned that the budget law does not detail how much is invested for each child or adolescent under protection nor does it establish sufficient transparency mechanisms to evaluate public policy.
The report raises the need for thoroughly review the protection systemwith greater investment, technical training and effective control and monitoring mechanisms.
