Children and corporal punishment: ‘the right not to be hit, also a children’s right’

Summary:

A majority of the Council of Europe member states have now committed themselves to put an end to all corporal punishment of children. Full prohibition in law has so far been adopted by 18 member states and at least seven others have publicly pledged to do the same within the near future.

The Commissioner for Human Rights has welcomed this development and urged other countries as well to consider moving towards prohibition and elimination of all corporal punishment against children.

This Issue Paper explains why and gives background information on steps already taken by the European Court of Human Rights and other international and European human rights mechanisms.