Date: March 2003

European Social Rights Committee tells Poland failure to prohibit all corporal punishment breaches European Social Charter

In its 2003 Conclusions issued following examination of Poland's report on implementation of article 17 of the European Social Charter, the European Committee on Social Rights states:

"Ministerial Regulations prohibit the corporal punishment of children in public schools. The Committee requests information about the situation in private schools and in institutions; it notes that the corporal punishment of children in the home is not prohibited. Therefore, the situation is not in conformity with the Charter in this respect.

"The Committee notes that the Commissioner for Children's Rights work on the protection of children from violence, and his proposals for legislative reform in this regard. It wishes to be kept informed of all development in this area. It also notes the information provided in the report on the facilities available to children subject to ill treatment and abuse...

"The Committee concludes that the situation in Poland is not in conformity with Article 17 of the Charter on the following grounds: - corporal punishment of children in the home is not prohibited...".

European Social Charter, European Committee of Social Rights, Conclusions XVI-2, Volume 2, Chapter 14

Click here to download a PDF of the Conclusions.

For details of the jurisprudence of the European Committee on Social Rights and corporal punishment, see Human Rights and Law section.

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