Updated 31 October 2019 to clarify the roles of our national partners On 18 September 2019, the Constitutional Court of South Africa ruled that the common law defence of ‘reasonable and moderate chastisement’ was unconstitutional, effectively banning all corporal punishment of children. The Children’s Institute, the Peace Centre and Sonke Gender Justice were respondents […]
The Committee on the Rights of the Child made recommendations on corporal punishment of children to all states examined during the 81st session: To Botswana, the Committee recommended the explicit prohibition of corporal punishment in all settings, including as a sentence for a crime, and the repeal of all legal defences and authorisations for its use. […]
All states have an obligation to prohibit all forms of corporal punishment of children. Those which are yet to do so often publicly express a political commitment to achieve prohibition, but we have noticed that some of those ‘committed’ states have made no progress in realising this commitment or have since backtracked on it. Commitment […]
The Global Initiative is seeking an intern to support the advocacy team working towards universal prohibition of corporal punishment. The role is available from October 2019 to March 2020 (negotiable) based in our London office. If you are interested in working with us but want more flexible hours, or if you are living outside the […]
Our African newsletters are published quarterly in English and French, providing a round-up of recent developments, campaigns and positive moves towards ending corporal punishment from across the continent. This latest edition also presents new resources to support advocacy on the issue, as well as information from African and UN human rights monitoring bodies, including new […]
The Global Initiative welcomes the entry into force of the Child Care and Protection Act 2015 in January 2019 by notice in the gazette. The Child Care and Protection Act 2015 replaces the Children’s Act No. 33 1960, repealing the statutory right of parents to “punish and to exercise discipline” and prohibiting corporal punishment of […]