During its 53^rd and 54^th sessions held in 2023, the Human Rights Council adopted the final working group reports for the Universal Periodic Reviews’ 42^nd and 43^rd sessions. The reports included states’ formal responses to all recommendations extended during the reviews. States can either accept or ‘note’ UPR recommendations.

Burundi, Czech Republic, Gabon, Guatemala, Mali, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates accepted recommendations to prohibit corporal punishment of children all settings of their lives. Serbia received recommendations to prohibit in all settings but did not reply.

Note: Serbia, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates were already committed to reforming their laws to prohibit corporal punishment in all settings. Similarly, the Czech Republic and Switzerland are currently in the process of drafting prohibiting laws.

We will be following up with Burundi, Gabon, Guatemala and Mali to confirm their intentions to introduce prohibiting legislation.

Ghana accepted recommendations to prohibit corporal punishment in schools but rejected all recommendations to prohibit corporal punishment in all settings.

The Bahamas noted (rejected) all recommendations to prohibit corporal punishment in all settings. Barbados noted all recommendations to prohibit corporal punishment in all settings but supported recommendations to adopt ‘alternatives to corporal punishment’. Tonga also noted recommendations in relation to prohibition and elimination of corporal punishment- including in the home- but supported a recommendation on prohibition of corporal punishment for crimes against children.

Despite the ongoing legality of corporal punishment in Pakistan no recommendations on the issue were made to them. Nevertheless, the Government of Pakistan supported general recommendations to strengthen the protection of children.

Examples of some of the accepted recommendations:

To Guatemala:

“Take more effective measures to deal with the increase in domestic violence, school violence and corporal punishment, and create national policies and programmes aimed at protecting from and eradicating violence against and harassment and rape of women, girls, adolescents, especially migrants, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela).”

To Czech Republic:

“Explicitly prohibit corporal punishment of children and strengthen activities aimed at encouraging non-violent forms of discipline as alternatives in this regard (South Africa);

“Strengthen national measures for child protection by enacting legislation that prohibits corporal punishment of children in all settings, including the home (Sweden);

To Mali:

"Continue efforts to prohibit all forms of violence against children in all settings, including recruitment of children as child soldiers and corporal punishment (Lesotho).”

Find out more:

• Visit our page on the Universal Periodic Review for more information on the review process
• See also the individual country reports of states reviewed in the 42^nd session: Argentina, Benin, Czech Republic, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Japan, Peru, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Pakistan and Zambia.
• In the 43^rd session: Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Burundi, France, Israel, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mali, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Tonga and United Arab Emirates.