Progress around the world
Children and young people have a right to be protected from all kinds of violence, including corporal punishmentPunishing someone using physical force, in a way which is meant to hurt them or make them uncomfortable - for example by hitting them.. More and more countries in the world are banning all corporal punishment.
In March 2012...
the number of countries that have banned all corporal punishment is 32Austria, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Kenya, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Togo, Tunisia, Ukraine and Venezuela.. In these countries no adults are allowed to hurt children.
BUT...
...the number of countries where corporal punishment is still allowed in some places is 166.
In these countries, the lawA set of rules that tells people in a country how to behave. says that it's OK for some adults to hurt children.
In 81 countries, corporal punishment is legalThe law says it is OK. in some or all schools.
In 78 countries, corporal punishment of children is legal in prisons.
In 42 countries, children can be sentenced to corporal punishment for committing a crime.
And in 166 countries, the law says that it's OK for children to be hurt in their own homes.
What's the law in your country? See the Global Initiative main site to find out, and for more information on progress around the world.
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