This latest edition of the African newsletter documents recent developments from the region. It includes news of regional campaigns and other moves towards prohibition of corporal punishment of children in Africa, as well as global and national resources and information from human rights monitoring bodies in Africa and beyond. We hope this newsletter will be […]
The Parliament of Greenland – a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark – has become the latest to enact legislation prohibiting all corporal punishment of children. The passage of Bill No. L 35 brings the Danish Act on Parental Responsibility 2007 into force in Greenland, with effect from April 2016. The Danish Act prohibits […]
The South African Human Rights Commission has issued its ruling on a complaint brought against the Joshua Generation Church concerning the Church’s promotion of corporal punishment as a means of parental “discipline” of children. The Commission ruled against the Church and, in doing so, called on the Government to meet its human rights obligations by […]
The year 2015 has witnessed a milestone in progress towards universal prohibition of corporal punishment of children: now, more than half of UN member states have achieved prohibition in all settings, including the home, or are committed to doing so. In total, 48 states have now prohibited all corporal punishment and Governments in another 52 […]
On 10 December 2015, the Peruvian Congress approved by a near unanimous vote (74 in favour, one abstention) the Law prohibiting the use of physical and other humiliating punishment against children and adolescents (“Ley que prohibe el uso del castigo físico y humillante contra los niños, niñas y adolescents”). This reform makes Peru the 9th […]
Ireland has joined the list of countries outlawing all corporal punishment of children in all settings, including the home. On 11 November 2015, the Irish Parliament adopted legislation explicitly repealing the common law defence of “reasonable chastisement” of children, making Ireland the 20th European Union state to achieve prohibition of corporal punishment, the 29th Council of Europe […]
The global newsletter provides a round-up of news and developments on corporal punishment from around the world. In this edition, the Global Initiative reports on five new states that have committed to prohibiting all corporal punishment of children, positive steps towards prohibition in Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana and Seychelles, and worrying backward steps in the […]
The world’s oldest, largest and most inclusive interfaith event, the Parliament of the World’s Religions, takes place this week from 15-19 October in Salt Lake, Utah, bringing together thousands of global and religious leaders, grassroots activists and practitioners, working for a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. The Global Initiative and Save the Children Sweden are […]
The Committee on the Rights of the Child has published its concluding observations on states examined at its 70th session in September/October 2015. To Bangladesh, the Committee noted the High Court directive to the Government in 2011 to ban all corporal punishment of children and recommended that this be accompanied by the promotion of positive, non-violent, participatory […]
Seven African states have achieved prohibition of corporal punishment of children in all settings, including the home, and recommendations to prohibit all corporal punishment of children have been accepted by 17 African states. On the other hand, 25% of Africa’s children live in states where corporal punishment is not fully prohibited in any setting. These facts […]