Date: May 2005

Human Rights Committee urges Greece to prohibit corporal punishment in schools

Following its examination during the 83rd session of the initial report of Greece on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Human Rights Committee expressed concern at the widespread use of corporal punishment in schools and recommended that the State party take measures to prohibit violence against children wherever it occurs, including in schools. Under article 24 of the Covenant, every child has "the right to such measures of protection as are required by his status as a minor, on the part of his family, society and the State". The Committee's concluding observations published in April 2005 state:

"While noting that a legislative amendment to ban corporal punishment in secondary schools has been tabled in Parliament, the Committee is concerned at reports of a widespread practice of corporal punishment of children in the schools (art. 24).

The Committee recommends that the State party prohibit all forms of violence against children wherever it occurs, including corporal punishment in the schools, and undertake public information efforts with respect to appropriate protection of children from violence."

(25 April 2005, CCPR/CO/83/GRC, para. 16)

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