Date: October 2011

Togo confirms that all corporal punishment is prohibited

The Global Initiative is pleased to announce that Togo can be added to the list of states which have enacted legislation prohibiting all corporal punishment of children in all settings, including the home.

Explicit prohibition is included in articles 357 and 376 of the Children’s Code (2007) but despite our best efforts, we had been unable to obtain official confirmation from the Government that these provisions were interpreted as prohibiting all corporal punishment, without exception. However, the 2011 state party reports submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights clearly state that the prohibition is comprehensive.

This brings the number of African states fully prohibiting corporal punishment of children to four and the total number worldwide to 31.

For further information, see "Countdown to prohibition", "States prohibiting", and the detailed country report on Togo.

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