Protecting Kids from Violence: Eight More Countries Ban Corporal Punishment

A fundamental shift is happening for millions of children as an additional eight countries have effectively banned corporal punishment, thus protecting kids from the most common form of violence against them.

“It’s amazing,” explains Bess Herbert, an advocacy specialist at End Corporal Punishment at the World Health Organization. “It’s a very strong signal to the rest of the world that this is the direction we are going in and we just don’t accept violence against children anymore.”

Burundi, the Czech Republic, Kyrgyzstan, Panama, Sri Lanka, and Uganda have wholly prohibited corporal punishment, while Gambia and Nigeria promised to end it in schools. Together, these countries account for some 150 million children. So far, 67 states out of 193 have entirely banned corporal punishment, the first being Sweden in 1979. Physical force used to cause some degree of pain or discomfort counts as corporal punishment, as well as non-physical forms of punishment that are cruel and degrading. The pledge made by the eight countries is part of commitments to curb violence against children, a topic discussed during the first global UN ministerial conference.