The Committee on the Rights of the Child made recommendations on corporal punishment of children to all states examined during the 81^st 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. It also recommended that Botswana raise the awareness of parents, teachers and professionals who work with children of the harm caused by corporal punishment, and promote positive discipline.
• The Committee issued its first recommendation on the issue to Côte d’Ivoire, recommending that it explicitly prohibit corporal punishment in law in all settings, raise awareness of the harmful effects of corporal punishment, and promote positive discipline.
• The Committee highlighted to Singapore that urgent measures should be taken in regards to corporal punishment of children. It recommended that Singapore enact legislation to explicitly prohibit corporal punishment in all settings, monitor and share the data on reports of corporal punishment, including in institutions and in the home, and raise awareness of the harmful effects of corporal punishment and the existence of alternative and positive methods of discipline. The Committee also specifically recommended that judicial corporal punishment is prohibited for all children under 18.
• To Tonga, the Committee urged the explicit prohibition of corporal punishment in all settings, including as a sentence for a crime. It recommended that teachers receive mandatory training on positive discipline, that positive discipline programmes are made available to parents and professionals working with children and that awareness-raising programmes are set up. The Committee also recommended the effective enforcement of the prohibition in schools and penal institutions and the creation of safe and confidential complaints mechanisms for children, especially in schools. This recommendation was the first that Tonga has received on the issue of corporal punishment of children.
• To Cabo Verde, which enacted a ban in 2013, the Committee recommended awareness-raising on the ban, data monitoring of the prevalence of corporal punishment and reported cases, and appropriate response systems for perpetrators and victims.
• The Committee welcomed the prohibition of corporal punishment in Malta in 2014 and the adoption of the National Strategic Policy for Positive Parenting 2016-2024. It recommended that Malta ensure that the ban is enforced in all settings, raise awareness of the harm caused by corporal punishment and promote positive discipline.

Further information

• For more information on each of these states, see our detailed reports for Botswana, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Malta, Singapore and Tonga.
• For further information on the obligation to prohibit corporal punishment under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to see the Committee’s recommendations in full, see the Global Initiative’s page on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• For information on how you can support the campaign to protect all children from corporal punishment, visit our Get involved page.