Ending Corporal Punishment of Children: A short Guide to Effective Law Reform

Ending Corporal Punishment of Children: A short Guide to Effective Law Reform

To end violence against children through universal prohibition and elimination of all corporal punishment – the most pervasive and accepted
form of violence against children

We work as a catalyst to end all corporal punishment worldwide, by:

1. Providing global evidence base on the legal status of corporal punishment, its prevalence and impact, and what works to prevent its use

2. Providing technical support and legal analysis to support governments and civil society to prohibit and eliminate corporal punishment

3. Supporting national and international action and advocacy with a wide range of resources, including bespoke guidance and assistance

4. Supporting a global movement of over 1,500 partners and supporters of universal prohibition of corporal punishment

Prohibition of corporal punishment is fundamental to child protection. The experience of states that have achieved effective prohibition shows that legal protection supports change in attitudes and behaviour. Law reform provides clarity to children, parents, teachers, social services and law enforcement that no violence against a child is acceptable. Law reform alone will not eliminate corporal punishment, but it is a necessary preventive measure to increase awareness of the harm of corporal punishment to children, to inform about children’s right to protection and it provides an essential foundation for social norm and behaviour change. Parents, teachers and others must be educated and supported to use positive methods
of discipline to ensure children grow up free from violence, with their rights respected. But this work faces persistent challenges and difficulties in legal systems that consider some level of violence against children as “reasonable” or “justifiable”.

Children cannot wait any longer: we know more than ever about the impact of corporal punishment on children, adults and communities; there is greater consensus among the international community of the urgent need to prohibit all corporal punishment of children; and there is stronger commitment from governments all over the world to end violence against children than ever before. Now is the time to turn those commitments into action. With this guide, we aim to support governments and civil society working to end violence against children through effective prohibition
of corporal punishment. The guide sets out the key stages of law reform, provides an overview of the work involved with essential hints and tips, and directs you to where more detailed information is available for each area of work