At its 96^th session in May 2024, the Committee on the Rights of the Child issued recommendations and observations on the prohibition and elimination of corporal punishment of children to Bhutan, Egypt, Estonia, Georgia, Guatemala, Mali, Namibia and Paraguay.

To Bhutan and Mali, the Committee on the Rights of the Child recommended that both States explicitly prohibit corporal punishment in all settings, including in the home, alternative care settings, day care facilities and penal institutions.

The Committee recommended that Bhutan repeal all provisions allowing the use of corporal punishment, including in its Penal Code:

"The Committee remains deeply concerned that corporal punishment is legally and socially acceptable in the State party. Recalling its general comment No. 8 (2006) on the right of the child to protection from corporal punishment and other cruel or degrading forms of punishment, the Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Explicitly prohibit, as a matter of priority, corporal punishment by law in the home, alternative care, day care, schools, monastic schools, nunneries, penal institutions and all other settings, including by repealing all provisions allowing the use of corporal punishment and reviewing the Child Care and Protection Act, Articles 109 to 112 of the Penal Code, the Child Adoption Act, the Domestic Violence Prevention Act and other relevant legislation;

(b) Address the widespread use of corporal punishment in schools, including by reviewing the School Discipline Policy to harmonise it with the Convention, strengthening training on non-violent and positive forms of discipline in mandatory teacher training, developing protocols and guidelines for action when corporal punishment takes places and ensuring appropriate responses;

(c) Develop guidance and training for teachers on positive discipline and addressing violence and other disturbances in schools, with a view to preventing the misuse of the School Discipline Guidelines allowing for sanctions for disruptive behaviour by children and ensuring that such measures take a child-sensitive approach;

(d) Strengthen awareness-raising campaigns to promote positive, non-violent and participatory forms of child-rearing, with a view to eradicating the practice of corporal punishment and the culture of silence in this regard.”

(30 May 2024, CRC/C/BTN/CO/6-7, Concluding observations on sixth-seventh report, para. 25)

In its report to the Committee Bhutan stated that work was underway to amend its legislations and  adopt a National Child Policy to prohibit corporal punishment and promote positive parenting and discipline. Read more in our Country Report for Bhutan.

Estonia, Paraguay and Georgia have achieved full prohibition of corporal punishment, respectively in 2014, 2016 and 2019. The Committee on the Rights of the Child recommended that the three prohibiting States promote positive, non-violent and participatory forms of child-rearing and discipline. It also recommended that they conduct awareness-raising campaigns for parents and professionals working with and for children to promote behavioural change regarding corporal punishment.

In its recommendations to Georgia, the Committee said:

“While welcoming that the Code on the Rights of the Child bans all forms of corporal punishment of children and recalling its general comment No. 8 (2006) on corporal punishment, the Committee urges the State party to:

(a) Further strengthen efforts to implement the ban on corporal punishment and apply appropriate sanctions to such cases;

(b) Promote positive, non-violent and participatory forms of child-rearing and discipline;

(c) Conduct awareness-raising campaigns for parents and professionals working with and for children to promote attitudinal change, within the family and the community, with regard to corporal punishment.”

(30 May 2024, CRC/C/GEO/CO/5-6, Advance unedited version, Concluding observations on fifth/sixth report, para. 24)

Find out more about the recommendations in our individual country reports for Bhutan, Egypt, Estonia, Georgia, Guatemala, Mali, Namibia and Paraguay.

Further information

• Access more information about the 96^th session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child here.
• Find out what the Convention on the Rights of the Child says about corporal punishment.