CRC concluding observations 2016, paragraph 41
Plain English recommendation
Government should: (a) In line with UN advice, urgently ban physical punishment in the family. (b) Ensure that physical punishment is banned in all institutions, such as schools or care facilities. (c) Promote non-violent forms of discipline and children’s equal right to dignity and physical integrity.
Original UN recommendation
With reference to its general comment No. 8 (2006) on the right of the child to protection from corporal punishment and other cruel or degrading forms of punishment and its previous recommendations, the Committee urges the State party, in all devolved administrations, overseas territories and Crown dependencies, to: (a) Prohibit as a matter of priority all corporal punishment in the family, including through the repeal of all legal defences, such as “reasonable chastisement”; (b) Ensure that corporal punishment is explicitly prohibited in all schools and educational institutions and all other institutions and forms of alternative care; (c) Strengthen its efforts to promote positive and non-violent forms of discipline and respect for children’s equal right to human dignity and physical integrity, with a view to eliminating the general acceptance of the use of corporal punishment in child-rearing.
Date of UN examination
23/05/2016
UN article number
19 (protection from all forms of violence), 37 (detention)
Original UN document
Download the original CRC concluding observations 2016 on the UN website