Laying the foundations for non-violent childhoods: putting prohibition of corporal punishment into practice

This session is a part of a World Summit organized by our partner ISPCAN. Two-day program of the Summit includes six inspiring keynote speakers and interactive workshops facilitated by leaders in International Child Protection, brought together in one place to discuss the critical topics. French and Spanish interpretation is available throughout the whole Summit.

Across the world, more than 2 in 3 children experience corporal – or violent – discipline at the hands of those meant to love them most: their caregivers. This is the most common type of violence experienced by children, with many experiencing violent punishment in their homes, classrooms, child care and juvenile justice centres.

Now, 63 states have prohibited corporal punishment, as well as additional nations such as Scotland and Wales (The Welsh prohibition comes into force in March 2022). Whilst continuing to urge remaining states to enact laws, attention must now also focus on ensuring that prohibition is well implemented, in order to reduce levels of violent punishment and make a real difference for children.

During this session, we will talk about how legislation can and must be translated into action. We will also describe the five key steps to implementation, and speakers from Costa Rica, Wales and South Africa will present examples of good practice in three of the key areas, discussing their experiences and lessons learned in putting a prohibition into effect. We will also present the Implementation Guidance, soon to be available in seven new languages.