During its third cycle Universal Periodic Review, Bahrain received a recommendation to legally prohibit corporal punishment of children in all settings, including in the home, and to repeal all legal defences to its use. The Government responded to this recommendation ahead of the Human Rights Council’s 36^th session and we are now able to confirm that the recommendation was supported, with Bahrain clearly committing to enacting a legal ban of all corporal punishment of children. This brings the number of states committed to prohibition in all settings to 55.

Global progress towards prohibition is accelerating: there are 53 states and 7 territories worldwide which have achieved prohibition of all corporal punishment, and many of the 55 states committed to prohibition are currently discussing draft legislation which would achieve prohibition in all settings.

For further information, see the Global Initiative’s country report for Bahrain and the Countdown to universal prohibition page.