You are here
Physical and humiliating punishment (PHP)
By April 2017, 52 countries have a total ban of corporal punishment in all settings. This means that a large majority of children in the world are living in countries where they are not protected against physical and humiliating punishment.
Children continue to be physically punished and deliberately humiliated in almost all societies and across all cultures as this practice remains far too common at home, in schools and institutions. Teachers, parents, and other caregivers often lack knowledge on how to guide children using nonviolent methods, and in many communities physical and humiliating punishment is deeply rooted in social norms and culture. In a humanitarian crisis, children are more at risk of physical and humiliating punishment, due to the increased stress on families, separation, and the breakdown of formal and informal safety nets.
Save the Children works towards preventing and protecting children from all forms of actual and threatened physical and humiliating punishment and bullying, in the home, in schools and in all other settings. This is done through advocating for legal reform and supporting awareness-raising initiatives leading to changes in attitudes and practices. We also promote parenting education and positive discipline programs, targeting caregivers, teachers and other people working with children. Children are seen as key actors throughout the process.
Save the Children uses the term Physical and Humiliating Punishment, instead of corporal punishment, to capture the wide array of disciplining methods used by adults towards children, which may include corporal or physical punishment, and the threat of it, as well as psychological punishment that belittles, scares or ridicules the child.
Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child requires states to take "all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child..."
-
RecommendedEnding corporal punishment and other cruel and degrading punishment of children through law reform and social change- Campaigns Manual
All over the world, children are hit and hurt by adults responsible for their care and attention. In a minority of countries- though far too many – children in conflict with the law may be sentenced by the courts to corporal punishment when they are convi
-
RecommendedMoving towards enacting a new law- The Philippines
In the Philippines, Save the Children, in cooperation with other international and domestic voluntary organisations, politicians and policymakers, have pushed for the enactment of a law to promote positive discipline and ban all forms of corporal and hum
-
RecommendedProhibiting corporal punishment of children in Central Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific. Progress Report 2014
Hitting people is wrong – and children are people too. Corporal punishment of children breaches their fundamental rights to respect for their human dignity and physical integrity. Its legality breaches their right to equal protection under the law. Urgent
-
RecommendedSave the Children's Child Protection Video
The Child Protection Initiative has produced an animated video that communicates Save the Children's child protection work and the impact on children's lives as seen by children. "Violence against children is no longer tolerated" is the new Global Breakth
-
RecommendedPositive Discipline in Everyday Parenting PDEP (fourth edition)
Parents, communities and governments around the world are recognizing children’s rights to protection from physical punishment and to discipline that respects their dignity. Increasingly, parents are being advised to use “positive discipline”. But parents
-
CSO Forum to End Violence against Children: Annual report 2018
The Civil Society Forum to End Violence against Children (CSO Forum) is a broad coalition of civil society organizations operating at the national, regional and global levels to advocate for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.2 an
-
Changing the World: Making Non-Violent Childhoods a Reality
This report was produced by the Council of Baltic States after the high-level conference on corporal punishment against children which took place in Stockholm in November 2018. The report aims to be a strategic reference document to introduce full prohibi
-
INSPIRE Handbook: Action for implementing the seven strategies for ending violence against children
Approximately 1 billion children are subjected to violence across the globe each year. The costs of such widespread violence are immense; exposure to violence is associated with effects on brain function, psychological well-being, noncommunicable diseases
-
Changing Attitudes to Physical Punishment of Children in Aotearoa New Zealand
In 2007 Section 59 of the Crimes Act 1971 was amended in New Zealand to protect children from assault in any context. The repeal of the law supported children’s rights to dignity, bodily integrity, safety, and equal protection with adults under the law. D
-
Malta High-Level Global Conference on the Universal Prohibition of Corporal Punishment: Save the Children’s Call for Action
A High Level Global Conference on the Universal Prohibition of Corporal Punishment is being held in Malta on the 30th May – 1st June 2018, to continue securing support and strive towards a world without corporal punishment and violence against children. T
-
Ending Legalised Violence Against Children by 2030: Progress towards prohibition and elimination of corporal punishment in Pathfinder countries
This report tracks the country-level progress that has been made to prohibit corporal punishment of children in Pathfinding Countries. It emphasizes the importance of ending corporal punishment to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.2. Furthermo
-
Spanking and Adult Mental Health Impairment: The case for the designation of spanking as an adverse childhood experience
This article examines whether or not spanking should be categorized as an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE), a category that also includes child abuse and is directly related to mental health problems in adulthood. The data analysis show that spanking is