I keep returning to the same question: What part of my story will people finally believe?

Which moments are striking enough to make others understand how bad it really was, how profoundly violence against children scars a person, or how invisible a suffering child can be? I have spent a long time looking for the “highlights” of my experience with violence in my childhood because I have learned that without shock, without proof, without a narrative that is tragic enough, people do not listen. That is what my advocacy has been like: trying to show the world what has happened to me and continues to happen to many others, hoping it might convince the right people to care and bring light to what violent realities children experience among us in our everyday lives.

When I was beaten up regularly in my childhood, nobody saw me, felt bad for me or held the responsible adults accountable.

I always knew the violence was wrong. I felt the injustice with a clarity beyond my age. But knowing the truth did not change the reality: I was still a child being hurt by the people who were supposed to protect me. I was six years old when it started, six years old when I first felt the suffocating combination of despair and betrayal. I had no understanding that helped me to cope with how the people I loved most in the world could hurt me again and again, without guilt, without hesitation, and without my pain meaning anything to them. I was confused, desperate, betrayed. And even though years have passed, my thoughts stayed the same for the majority of my life: when will it be like before? When will it turn back to normal? Why does and did nobody care?

If you ask children’s rights organisations or politicians, they will insist that they care deeply, that they are horrified by what happens to children, that they are doing their best. But that simply isn’t true. Helping children is not celebrating world awareness days, running symbolic campaigns, painting children’s faces, or giving away small goods. Helping children means ensuring that laws actually reach them, that protection isn’t theoretical, and that resources aren’t secret knowledge you need to search for, but things every child automatically has access to. Children experiencing violence are already fighting for their lives, yet everyone responsible seems to believe that once a law is passed, every six-year-old will suddenly report their parents, walk into child protective services on their own, and mail a postcard thanking political parties or organisations for their “meaningful work.”

I can say directly that no campaign eased my suffering. No ministry speech, no polished statement changed anything for me. That is not to say that everyone is inherently bad. It is to say that accountability is not taken by those who are responsible to protect children. Child protection is not about moving mountains; it is about doing what is necessary without bargaining the seriousness of children’s safety down to something convenient or symbolic. There is no “light version” of helping children. When I was six and despairing after being beaten up, I did not wonder about policy changes or legal frameworks, I wondered why nobody cared. No small symbolic campaign reached me, no ministry press release comforted me, and no children's rights organisation’s self-celebratory list of achievements meant anything. I don't believe it to be any different for the children facing corporal punishment today.

Getting beaten up in your childhood does not feel like a collection of separate incidents. It feels like one long, never-ending period of despair and helplessness. I was not being hit 24/7, I had good moments in between. But when the violence came, it left marks and impressions deep enough that the peaceful moments didn't amount to anything. They simply gave me a chance to become hopeful again, only to be shattered the next day and being hit by reality in the truest sense.

Your home becomes the most dangerous place, the place where comfort should be, but never is. The places outside feel more like comfort than the arms of your parents, even though being lovingly held by them is what you yearn for more than anything. Every adult who is supposed to protect you becomes a potential traitor, someone whose morality and backbone you cannot rely on.

For many, violence in childhood is not a chapter; it is the beginning. The first stones upon which everything else is built. Childhood violence does not show you the bright side of the world. It does not let you feel the beauty of childhood, the safety of innocence, or the fragile joy that children are meant to experience. It breaks you directly from your most vulnerable point and teaches you that the world is dangerous, that safety is an illusion, and that trust is a risk you cannot afford. It shows you that your existence, your “original sin,” in a sense, is simply being born into the wrong place at the wrong time. While other children experience love, acceptance, and protection, you learn only that the world does not want you, that you must earn your worth, and that you are always one misstep away from punishment.

I dislike the word “survivor.” I did not survive anything in a triumphant sense. My story is and never will be a success story. Nothing about having a crime committed against you is empowering. Turning childhood violence into some kind of character-building experience, something that “toughened” you, is cruel in its own form. The world keeps trying to empower those affected by violence, but often, the message sounds like: your suffering made you strong. That is simply not true and recognising this is an honest, yet bitter act to highlight violence's cruel nature and aftermath. An honesty necessary to address this issue.

When I speak about the need to bring attention to violence against children, I often get asked what the final goal is. Many do not seem to understand that for me, awareness is the goal in itself. The affected need to know they are not alone. They need to know that someone cares. They need to hear conversations that prove the issue is not forgotten, not hidden behind closed doors, not something adults talk about only after tragedies occur, but something that's talked about in front of all doors and the public, the only place where accountability can take place.

Back then, I needed visibility. I needed to see people talking about what was happening to children like me. I needed to know that somewhere, someone would help me without making my life harder. I am certain nothing has changed about that for the many who are in the same position now. This is also why I'm speaking up against corporal punishment. I want to make my six-year-old self be seen and everyone who is suffering or suffered like me visible in the world, so that suffering children who are close to giving up on themselves will catch a glimpse of the news and see someone who speaks loudly on our right to be seen, to be protected and to hold society accountable.

Making people aware, however simple it may sound, is the only way to make abused children visible and close the gap between resources and laws and the children who depend on them. Child protection has to stop being a theoretical discussion on NGO panels building on inoperable laws and take the bull by its horns to finally address it as a verb, an action to which we need to put the issue right in front of the public's eye that avoiding societal responsibility and shame from inaction aren't an option.

Children are born full of joy and dreams. The world crushes most of us eventually, but the least we
could do is protect the short years of childhood, to allow children to be children. A time when they are innocent, when they are hopeful, when their happiness and laughs are still the highest good. The least we could do is make sure that violence never becomes the foundation of their entire lives, not like it has become mine and a billion others. And that is not a conversation for tomorrow, but for whenever we realise that while we can postpone it for another time, the abused children cannot.

A milestone for children in Switzerland – non-violent parenting is enshrined in law

On September 26, 2025, both chambers of the Parliament approved the inclusion of non-violent parenting in Swiss law. The Federal Council will decide at the beginning of 2026 when exactly the new law will take effect. One thing is certain: the milestone has finally been reached!

From 2026 onwards, slaps, hits, or severe verbal humiliation will no longer be considered acceptable disciplinary methods but rather acts of violence. The legal ambiguity surrounding what forms of discipline are permissible will finally be eliminated.

Non-violent parenting as the new norm

With the new law, non-violent parenting becomes the norm. Any deviation from this standard calls for attention. Addressed to parents and guardians, the new law states:

“In particular, they must raise their children without the use of violence, namely without physical punishment and other forms of degrading treatment.” (our own translation)

It is important that psychological violence is also included, as this form of violence is more common in Switzerland than physical violence. And although the law primarily addresses parents, the Federal Council made it clear during the debate in Parliament that the principle of non-violent upbringing also applies to anyone who assumes custody of a child on behalf of the parents.

Guidance for parents and support when things get difficult

Many parents still use violence in their parenting—not out of conviction, but in moments of exhaustion or being overwhelmed. This is where the new law comes in: it aims to strengthen prevention and improve easy access to counselling and support services for children and parents. The cantons (“states”) are now required to ensure access to counselling services. Today, not all parts of Switzerland offer parents and children equal access to such services.

A long political journey

Remarkably, the larger parliamentary chamber already said a clear yes to a ban on violence in parenting back in 1992 — some 33 years ago. However, the second chamber rejected the binding proposal at that time. In the following decades, numerous unsuccessful attempts were made to achieve this goal through political means. It was a motion from 2019 that finally led to success. It took long-standing civil society commitment to bring about the necessary societal and political shift in attitude.

For a long time, it was widely believed that parenting was purely a private matter and that the state should not interfere. Child Protection Switzerland, one of the leading voices for non-violent parenting, has always made its position clear:

“Parenting is a private matter – violence against children is not.”

Awareness-raising is still needed

The law alone is not enough. As the Federal Council emphasized, the legal establishment of non-violent parenting must be accompanied by awareness-raising campaigns that inform parents about the child’s right to a non-violent upbringing and demonstrate positive, non-violent parenting methods.

In the future, such campaigns should be funded by the state rather than left to civil society to finance. The responsibility for sustainable prevention lies with the federal government and the cantons. Civil society’s role will be to remind them of this responsibility. Meanwhile, professional associations working with children and young people are currently working intensively to adapt their guidelines and tools for advising parents and children to the new legal situation.

We are very grateful to Child Protection Switzerland for drafting this account of the law reform.

With this law reform, Switzerland becomes the 70th state worldwide to realise children’s rights to protection from all violent punishment.

We applaud this landmark progress for children and warmly welcome the implementation measures planned by the Government and its partners to put the law into practice! 

Together, the prohibition of corporal punishment and its implementation will enable Switzerland to make significant progress in eliminating all forms of violence against children in whatever context they occur.

With a child population of 1,545,000, prohibition in Switzerland brings the total number of children worldwide protected by law from corporal punishment to approximately 347 million, or 15% of the global child population.

But many children around the world are still waiting to be protected from legalized violence. Considering the global commitment to ending all violence against children in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we call on all remaining governments to enact prohibition as a matter of priority.

Find out more:

• Read our country report for Switzerland.
• Read about progress towards universal prohibition of corporal punishment in Europe.
• Read our guide to putting prohibition of corporal punishment into practice.

The Czech Republic has reaffirmed its strong commitment to the protection of children's rights and dignity by fully prohibiting all corporal punishment of children.

We are pleased to announce that, as of January 1, 2026, corporal punishment of children will be explicitly prohibited by law. This significant step follows the adoption of an amendment to the Civil Code, which was signed by the President on July 17, 2025.

The amendment clearly states that corporal punishment, mental distress, and other degrading measures are incompatible with the human dignity of the child. Specifically, § 884 now provides that a child’s dignity is violated by such practices. Furthermore, § 858 reinforces the duty of parents to care for the child’s physical, emotional, intellectual, and moral development without resorting to corporal punishment or other harmful methods.

This reform is the result of a broad societal and political consensus and reflects a shared commitment to promoting positive, non-violent upbringing and strengthening the legal protection of all children.

This legislative measure will have significant positive impacts: it strengthens the legal protection of children, sets a clear standard for respectful and non-violent parenting, and supports cultural change towards positive upbringing. It also provides a clearer framework for professionals working with families and helps prevent violence and abuse in all settings.

The Czech Government will support its implementation through awareness, education, and cooperation.

More information about childhood without violence can be found on the following website:

Dětství bez násilí – přímá podpora pro děti a rodiče

With this law reform, the Czech Republic becomes the 69th state worldwide to realise children’s rights to protection from all violent punishment.

We applaud this landmark progress for children and warmly welcome the implementation measures planned by the Government and its partners to put the law into practice! 

Together, the prohibition of corporal punishment and its implementation will enable Czechia to make significant progress in eliminating all forms of violence against children in whatever context they occur.

With a child population of 1,989,000, prohibition in Czech Republic brings the total number of children worldwide protected by law from corporal punishment to approximately 345 million, or 15% of the global child population.

But many children around the world are still waiting to be protected from legalized violence. Considering the global commitment to ending all violence against children in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we call on all remaining governments to enact prohibition as a matter of priority.

Find out more:

• Read our country report for The Czech Republic.
• Read about progress towards universal prohibition of corporal punishment in Europe.
• Read our guide to putting prohibition of corporal punishment into practice.

Dinma’s story

It took me a long time to realise I was abused.

I counted corporal punishment as discipline, I was being punished for something I had either done wrong or didn't do well. But there were times I was punished for things I didn't do.

In September 2001, I started high school. I was eight years old, and my school was nearly 560 km from my family home. It was the first time I was apart from my family. We arrived three days before the school was to resume so we could get acquainted with the school systems.

My mom had braided my hair into beautiful cornrows, her daughter was going to boarding school. On arriving at the school in the morning, my father was informed that I had to cut my hair because students are required to do this. As the barber took down my corn rows, I felt stripped of my mother’s passing gift. It was snatched from me with no warning. The lines from that corn rows remained for about a week making me an object of mockery from seniors.

That very evening, we heard the bell ring, and we were told to come downstairs for what the seniors termed a “flogging party”. We were lined up from smallest, and I happened to be the smallest. We had to lie face down on the red sand in front of the hostel. Senior students gathered around, canes heaped on the side and the party began. I was called forward and flogged with the cane going round every part of my body. I remember asking myself, “what did we do wrong?”. That night, for the first time since I left home the day before and boarded a night bus going to Enugu, I wept.

We had a shortage of water. We were allowed a bucket for 3 days, that included bathing and washing and drinking. I still can't imagine how we made it work. One Saturday in my second year, I asked a senior student to help me with a cup of water to take cereal. She agreed and gave me the keys to the box room, a place where seniors stored water. I went there, took a cup and returned the keys. A few days later, another senior student called a meeting, threatening and yelling that her water was stolen, and she would find the thief. My name slipped out and I was called to the side, along with some other people. I explained my situation and what took me to the box room, but the senior would have none of it. She began to try to flog the truth out of us. When she got to me,  I resolved not to let her see my tears because I know I didn't steal from her. She had a harder resolve; it became a tussle and the next thing I felt was a blow to my eye socket. I was plunged into darkness. I curled into a ball on the floor weeping, and that must have set her off because she kept hitting me, saying “I thought you say you say you will not cry!! over and over. Finally, one of her classmates, a Lagosian like me, grabbed the cane from her and said “Look at this girl, do you want to kill her? She took me to my bed and asked me to lie down. But her next words stopped me cold; “Linda, sorry, just lie down and sleep, don't report her”.

When the Reverend sisters in charge found out what had happened from my classmates, they flogged the senior with a mop stick and suspended her for three weeks. From then on, seniors avoided me but not without stigmatisation; they often called me “possessed” .

In my third year another nightmare began. A senior prefect took interest in me. She made her intentions known to me through a mutual acquaintance. I had a bittersweet experience in a previous school mother- daughter relationship, so I wanted none of it, ever again. She cajoled, asked nicely, offered me nice things but I said “no”. 

Then she switched tactics, she became hostile, cruel even, employing the services of a few friends who lived in my hostel, and they made my life miserable. I was targeted from every side. Once, she came to my room and insisted the room was dirty. She told all occupants to lie down outside in the sun, whipping each of us. When it was my turn, she gave me over 100 strokes on every part of my body, from my neck down to my feet. Another time, one of her friends said I was mocking her with a song, she poured dirty water on me and told me to sleep on the floor that night. I was released at 1am.

When I became a senior student, I believed I had found rest. But I would later discover this was a lie. The principal became a thorn in my flesh. She called me a bad child, told a classmate to stay away from me, flogged me in front of the whole school when I didn't read well, and made me remove my shirt and stand in front of the whole school in my underwear because I didn't tuck in.

Even in my final year I experienced shocking incidents. On one occasion, a dirty trick had been played on a Novice. The Reverend Sisters flocked to the hostel accompanied by a live-in female teacher nicknamed Mad for her loud voice, bouncing step and how she flogged with no mercy, ready to chase you to the ends of the earth. All students were made to kneel and were flogged. Interrogations started I was placed in the middle of two Reverend Sisters, each flogging me back into the middle when I tried to escape. Then we were told we must inform our parents we would be expelled. I couldn't reach mine and spent all night wondering how to break the news to my parents, I didn't get a wink of sleep. My body was on fire, my friend helped me massage my body, I had marks and blisters from the canes. Eventually, we were pardoned but the emotional trauma of being accused wrongly, the body pains from the flogging, whilst preparing for final exams was excruciating.

Writing this article caused me to realise that I never really did heal, I simply moved on. Now I am forced to dig up my past, releasing pain and ache I didn't allow myself to feel. As I write I feel more anger towards the system that said it was okay to discipline a child in any way possible, if no major bodily harm is done. That school left me traumatized.

Most importantly, are the wounds unseen. The way I feel when I hear the sound of a whip close by. The pain I feel when I see a child battered. The tears I shed when I reminisce. The memories I fight to suppress, because the bad outweighs the good. The struggle of disciplining my children without guilt.

Then there is shame. Shame that I was cowardly not to have stood up for myself. Shame, that I am only speaking up now. Shame that I watch children around me get spanked, flogged and beaten because we called it discipline. I beat myself up for not standing up then and for waiting this long to rise up to the occasion.

What I went through, no child must ever experience. I intend to do what needs to be done to stand up for children everywhere. To be the change I wished someone fought for. The change I want to see. To put an end to corporal punishment.

Discipline is not inflicting physical pain; it is teaching and steering a child towards the right path. A lot of people who believe in corporal punishment use the word of God “Spare the rod and spoil the child” as justification, but let me end in the words of Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:

Love is patient

Love is kind.

It does not envy, boast and is not proud.

It does not dishonour others, is not self-seeking, not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

It always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres.

So, if you say you inflict pain out of love for a child, ask yourself “is that true love?”

Dinma Nmaele-Afam

End Violence Against Children Advocate

Thailand has achieved full prohibition of corporal punishment of children with the amendment of Section 1567 (2) of the Civil and Commercial Code. The House of Representatives approved the landmark legislation in October 2024, with the Senate giving its approval in December 2024. The amendment received Royal Assent on March 20, 2025, and was published in the Official Gazette on March 24, 2025, coming into force the following day.

With this law reform, Thailand becomes the 68th state worldwide to realise children’s rights to protection from all violent punishment, and the second in the ASEAN region.

The New Legislation

The new amendment repealed the original provision of the Civil and Commercial Code: Section 1567:

• A person with parental authority/guardian has the right to: (2) punish his child appropriately for the purpose of disciplining and teaching him.

And replaced it with:

• A person with parental authority/guardian has the right to: (2) Punish a child in order to teach, reprimand, or adjust their behaviour without committing acts of abuse or violence towards the body or mind or acting inappropriately.

Section 3 of the Civil and Commercial Code states that upon the Code's operation, all other laws, bylaws, and regulations are repealed if they deal with matters governed by the Code or are inconsistent with its provisions. Therefore, the new amendment overrides any other defence for corporal punishment that may exist in Thai law.

With the removal of legal defences for corporal punishment by those having parental authority over children, existing assault laws (Sections 295 to 300 of the Criminal Code) will apply to cases of physical or psychological punishment of children.

Putting the law into effect

Upon passage of the amendment, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister issued a directive designating the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security as the main agency to evaluate the implementation of recommendations made by the Parliament's special subcommittee and the Cabinet Secretariat.

The directive also empowers the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to work alongside various government entities, including the Ministries of Finance, Interior, Justice, Education, Public Health, and Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, as well as the Royal Thai Police and other pertinent agencies to implement this amendment and provide support for parents in promoting positive discipline.

National Child Protection Action Plan 2023-2027 and positive parenting

The National Child Protection Action Plan 2023-2027 prioritises the prevention of violence against children and support for families. The first two strategies of the Plan are key to preventing violent punishment of children:

Strategy 1. Supporting families.

• Provide counselling and establish family networks (peer groups) to learn and exchange childcare knowledge. These networks can serve as platforms for sharing positive parenting techniques and support.
• Ensure access to social welfare services for children and families through awareness campaigns and accessible service delivery. Connect parents with resources, parenting programs, and financial support if needed, reducing stress factors that might lead to harsh discipline.
• Facilitate access to social welfare services such as mental health, legal, or language interpretation services. Access to mental health support and counselling can help parents manage stress and adopt more positive parenting approaches, aligning with the emphasis on emotional safety for children.

Strategy 2: Empowering families.

• Enhance parents' awareness of their roles and responsibilities, including understanding children's developmental needs and the impact of different disciplinary methods.
• Develop and disseminate educational materials and training on child protection, prevention, and positive child-rearing practices for families.
• Design child protection measures, guidelines, activities, and services jointly with children, families, and communities, to ensure that support for parents is relevant and effective.

Accompanying justification provides further clarity

The explanatory notes accompanying the amendment help provide full clarity about the intention of the law, and address the following points:

• The amended law aligns with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, emphasising the right of the child to protection from corporal punishment.
• General Comment No. 8 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is directly related to the right of the child to protection from corporal punishment and other cruel or degrading forms of punishment, is mentioned as a key document informing the amendment to Article 1567.
• Prohibition of corporal punishment is framed within the context of Thailand's most recent Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which recommended that Thailand prohibit all forms of corporal punishment in all settings.
• The amendment signifies a commitment to align national legislation with international human rights standards for children, as articulated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• Corporal punishment is rejected as an acceptable method of discipline, moving away from the traditional view that physical punishment is necessary or effective.
• Children have a right to protection from violence, implying that parenting should be rooted in respect for the child’s fundamental rights, including physical and emotional safety.
• All actions concerning children should be guided by their best interests, aiming to foster a child's well-being and healthy development, which is incompatible with physical or degrading forms of punishment.
• The amendment implicitly suggests the need for parents to adopt positive disciplinary strategies, teaching children through understanding, communication, and guidance rather than fear and pain. Parents have a responsibility to create a safe, nurturing, and violence-free environment for their children, actively safeguarding their rights and well-being.

The Cabinet Secretariat also circulated observations from the House of Representatives regarding the amendment, urging the government to implement comprehensive support systems for families, develop training programs for positive child-rearing, and review related laws to protect children further. These observations affirm and underline Thailand's broader commitment to child welfare and protection.

Achieving maximum progress for children

Corporal punishment of children is common in Thailand, as in many places. To ensure children’s rights to protection from violence it is essential that the new law is comprehensively implemented over the long term, for example by making an implementation plan; carrying out communication and public education campaigns to ensure that everyone in all sections of Thai society know about the new law and its reasons and effects; establishing widespread support systems for families; training professionals on the delivery of the law; ensuring violent punishment is eliminated from Thai schools; and putting in place reporting and monitoring processes to check the impact of the law.

UNICEF have urged the Royal Thai government to undertake some key actions to implement the new law, including passing the amended Child Protection Act; increasing support for parents, caregivers and teachers in adopting positive discipline practices; strengthening child safeguarding procedures and support services; providing support and training in educational settings; and, enhancing collaboration among government agencies.

The campaign to prohibit all corporal punishment of children

The achievement of prohibition of all corporal punishment of children is the culmination of many years of advocacy and campaigning by many organisations.

Most recently the CRC Coalition Thailand, a network of 46 child rights organizations, came together to advocate for the legal amendment. Gabfai Community Theatre, Child Line and the Life Skills Development Foundation, among many other organisations, academics and experts, worked tirelessly to secure this progress for children.

The “Love Does Not Hurt” project, delivered in Thailand, the Philippines, Laos PDR, and Cambodia, focused on ending corporal punishment through participatory activities with children, youth, schools, communities, local organizations, and policy in each country and across the region. The project was supported by terre des hommes Germany and BMZ.

Save the Children Thailand has also been instrumental in pursuing the ban on physical and humiliating punishment in all settings, particularly championing the campaign in its earliest years.

End Violence Against Children in Thailand and the ASEAN Project of the The Center for the Protection of Children Rights Foundation, supported by terre des hommes Germany and BMZ also worked together with CRC Coalition Thailand to advocate for the law amendment.

UNICEF Thailand has played a critical role in supporting the Government to secure the recent reform, ensuring that legislation drafting achieved prohibition and working to establish robust implementation measures.

We applaud this landmark progress for children and warmly welcome the implementation measures planned by the Government and its partners to put the law into practice! 

Together, the prohibition of corporal punishment and its implementation will enable Thailand to make significant progress in eliminating all forms of violence against children in whatever context they occur.

With a child population of 14,131,000, prohibition in Thailand brings the total number of children worldwide protected by law from corporal punishment to approximately 343 million, or 15% of the global child population.

But many children around the world are still waiting to be protected from legalized violence. Considering the global commitment to ending all violence against children in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we call on all remaining governments to enact prohibition as a matter of priority.

(Update: Mongolia has now signed on to the statement, bringing the total to 41 countries)

Ending corporal punishment – a human rights priority for children

Children have the fundamental right to be protected from all forms of violence. This right is essential for their well-being, safety, survival, and development, and recognises the severe and lasting consequences of violence against children, not just for the individual child but for society as a whole.

Corporal punishment – by far the most common and accepted form of violence against children - violates children’s right to respect for their human dignity and physical integrity, as well as their rights to health, development, education and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. It is recognised by the Committee on the Rights of the Child and other treaty bodies, and by the UN Secretary General’s Study on Violence against Children, as a highly significant issue both for asserting children’s status as rights holders and for the prevention of all forms of violence.