Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, session 52 (2014)

RECOMMENDATIONS/OBSERVATIONS ON CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS' CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS TO STATES EXAMINED IN SESSION 52 (28 APRIL - 23 MAY 2014)

Armenia

(23 May 2014, E/C.12/ARM/CO/2-3 Advance Unedited Version, Concluding observations on second/third report, para. 19)

"The Committee is concerned that, despite the Government’s de-institutionalization programme, the rate of institutionalization of children, the majority of which have families, remains very high. The Committee is concerned that families, while maintaining parental rights, place their children in boarding schools and child care institutions due to economic hardship and because of their inability to cover the costs associated with covering the children’s basic needs. The Committee is further concerned about the protection of children against corporal punishment (art. 10).

The Committee recommends that the State party:

a)     strengthen social and financial support to families in situations of vulnerability, including by providing adequate child benefits targeting families living in extreme poverty and thus allowing them to avoid the placement of children in boarding schools and children’s homes for economic reasons;

b)     accelerate its efforts to provide alternative family-and community-based care systems and ensure that institutional care is used only as a measure of last resort;

c)     introduce independent monitoring of the rights of children in institutions under the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Labour and Social Issues, and the authority of regional governments;

prohibit the corporal punishment of children in all settings and sanction perpetrators."

Lithuania

(23 May 2014, E/C.12/LTU/CO/2 Advance Unedited Version, Concluding observations on second report, para. 14)

"The Committee expresses concern that corporal punishment continues to be practiced as a means of discipline, particularly in the home, and that violence against children is increasing, particularly in urban areas (art.10).

The Committee recommends that the State party proceed swiftly with the adoption of legislation prohibiting the use of corporal punishment in all settings, and take effective measures to raise awareness among the public against the use of violence against children, including corporal punishment."

Uzbekistan

(23 May 2014, E/C.12/UZB/CO/2 Advance Unedited Version, Concluding observations on second report, para. 20)

"The Committee is concerned about the persistence of corporal punishment, which is not explicitly prohibited under the law (arts. 7, 10 (3), and 13).

The Committee urges the State party to ensure the prohibition of corporal punishment in all settings, including in the home, at school and in alternative care, and to conduct training and awareness-raising campaigns. It refers the state party to its recommendation on discipline in schools as contained in its general comment no. 13 (1999) on the right to education."