{"id":27373,"date":"2025-03-17T12:23:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T12:23:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/endcorporalpunishment.org\/?p=27373"},"modified":"2025-03-21T14:05:43","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T14:05:43","slug":"first-hrc-joint-statement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/endcorporalpunishment.org\/first-hrc-joint-statement\/","title":{"rendered":"40 countries make first-ever joint statement on corporal punishment to the Human Rights Council"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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(Update: Mongolia has now signed on to the statement, bringing the total to 41 countries)<\/span><\/em><\/p>

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Ending corporal punishment \u2013 a human rights priority for children<\/strong><\/p>

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.<\/p>

Corporal punishment \u2013 by far the most common and accepted form of violence against children - violates children\u2019s 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\u2019s Study on Violence against Children, as a highly significant issue both for asserting children\u2019s status as rights holders and for the prevention of all forms of violence.<\/p>

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<\/h2>\n Marcela Coen Moraga, Minister Counsellor, presents the statement on corporal punishment to the Human Rights Council on behalf of the Costa Rican Government and 39 other countries on 12 March 2025<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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The ongoing legality of corporal punishment in most States<\/a> <\/span>worldwide violates children\u2019s rights to equal protection as adults under the law on assault. Through their ratification of international human rights law, States have a clear and immediate obligation to prohibit by law all corporal punishment of children, including in the home, and to ensure it is eliminated in practice through awareness-raising, training, provision of support for families and other comprehensive measures.<\/p>

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First-ever joint statement on ending corporal punishment presented at Human Rights Council<\/strong><\/p>

On Wednesday 12 March 2025, during the 58th<\/sup> session of the Human Rights Council, 40 countries made a first-ever joint statement<\/a> <\/span>addressing children\u2019s fundamental right to protection from all corporal punishment.<\/p>

The statement made during the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence Against Children notes the wide-ranging harmful impacts of corporal punishment of children, and its ongoing high prevalence and legality around the world, despite over 20 years of international commitments and human rights recommendations calling for action to end the practice. The statement encourages all remaining states to prohibit and eliminate all corporal punishment of children in all settings.<\/p>

The statement was led by the Governments of Costa Rica and Kenya and supported by 38 other States including Brazil, Cambodia, Colombia, France, Japan, Mexico, Sierra Leone and South Africa. See the full list below.<\/p>

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The statement notes:<\/p>

\u2018Almost twenty years ago, the UN Secretary General called for the universal prohibition of all corporal punishment. Multiple treaty bodies and regional mechanisms have also condemned it, recognizing it as a clear violation of children\u2019s human rights. Yet, in over 125 States, corporal punishment remains legally permissible continuing to undermine the human rights, dignity and wellbeing of children.<\/p>

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And encourages States to take action:<\/p>

\u2018In light of this overwhelming evidence, we wish to draw attention of this human rights issue and encourage States to take appropriate legislative reforms accompanied by other measures such as awareness-raising and educational initiatives to prohibit and eliminate all corporal punishment of children in all settings.<\/p>

\u2018We call upon States to also promote non-violent forms of discipline that will uphold children\u2019s dignity, physical integrity, and equal protection under the law.<\/p>

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This joint statement follows the first ever statement on corporal punishment presented to the World Health Assembly Executive Board<\/a><\/span> by the Government of Kenya and eleven other States on 7 February 2025.<\/p>

The Governments of Costa Rica and Kenya, in partnership with fellow champion member States will continue their advocacy to end corporal punishment of children by organising a side event focused on the technical and political effort to afford children the same protection from assault as adults at the upcoming World Health Assembly in May, where it is expected that a new WHO technical report on corporal punishment will be launched.<\/p>

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