The Human Rights Council held its 37^th session in March 2018 and adopted final working group reports of states examined during the 28^th session of the Universal Periodic Review.  States which had left their responses to recommendations pending were under the obligation to either ‘support’ (accept) or ‘note’ them before the start of the session. The meaning of ‘noting’ a recommendation is ambiguous, but it is often similar to ‘rejecting’ as it signifies that the state refuses to commit to implementing the recommendation.

• Japan supported several clear recommendations to explicitly prohibit corporal punishment in all settings – we are seeking official confirmation from the Government that it is committed to enacting prohibition of all corporal punishment of children, in all settings.
• The Czech Republic gave a mixed response to recommendations on corporal punishment: although the Government supported general recommendations to put an end to corporal punishment of children, it noted specific recommendations to explicitly prohibit its use in all settings. It had previously stated that “parents may apply their upbringing methods only to a reasonable degree” (emphasis added).
• Pakistan supported a recommendation to “consider the implementation of the necessary safeguards for the protection of children against corporal punishment”.
• Argentina, which prohibited all corporal punishment in 2014, supported a recommendation to enact prohibiting legislation.

For further details, see the Global Initiative’s news item on the initial outcomes of the 28^th session of the Universal Periodic Review. See also the individual country reports of states reviewed in UPR 28: Argentina, Benin, the Czech Republic, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Peru, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Ukraine and Zambia.