Global table – last updated January 2012

KEY:

Corporal punishment prohibited = Corporal punishment prohibited

Corporal punishment permitted = Corporal punishment permitted

Corporal punishment status unknown = Corporal punishment status unknown

Click for additional information = Click for additional information


Click for state report = Click for DETAILED state report

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Please note:

The following table analyses the legality of corporal punishment in the home, schools and the penal system in each state. A state is counted as prohibiting corporal punishment in a setting when: 

  1. prohibition is enacted in legislation. Prohibition as a matter of policy or guidance fails to realise children’s right to equal protection from assault in law, and is frequently undermined by legal provisions confirming a right of parents and other adults to administer "reasonable correction" or similar

  2. the prohibition applies to all aspects of the setting. In schools, prohibition should apply in all education settings, including public and private. In the penal system, corporal punishment should be prohibited both as a sentence for crime and as a disciplinary measure in all institutions accommodating children in conflict with the law.

The detailed country reports, accessed by clicking on the icon in the first column, provide further information on applicable legislation and on the reforms necessary to achieve prohibition, as well as summaries of relevant prevalence research and recommendations by human rights treaty monitoring bodies.

Download more detailed global and regional analyses of the legality of corporal punishment in the home, schools, the penal system and alternative care settings, and progress towards universal prohibition.

GLOBAL TABLE: E-H

Legality of corporal punishment worldwide - last updated January 2012

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COUNTRY

Prohibited in the home

Prohibited in schools

Prohibited in penal system

State report

Ecuador

Permitted in the home

Prohibited in schools

Permitted in penal system

State report

Egypt

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools Click for additional information

Prohibited in penal system Click for additional information

State report

El Salvador

Permitted in the home

Prohibited in schools

Prohibited in penal system

State report

Equatorial Guinea

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools

Penal system - insufficient information

State report

Eritrea

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools

Permitted in penal system

State report

Estonia

Permitted in the home Click for additional information

Prohibited in schools Click for additional information

Prohibited in penal system

State report

Ethiopia

Permitted in the home

Prohibited in schools

Prohibited in penal system

State report

Falkland Islands
(UK overseas Territory)

Permitted in the home

Prohibited in schools

Prohibited in penal system

State report

Faroe Islands
(Denmark Self Governing Territory)

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools Click for additional information

Permitted in penal system

State report

Fiji

Permitted in the home Click for additional information

Prohibited in schools Click for additional information

Prohibited in penal system Click for additional information

State report

Prohibited in the home Prohibited in 1983 Child Custody and Right of Access Act.

Prohibited in schools

Prohibited in penal system

State report

France

Permitted in the home Click for additional information

Permitted in schools Click for additional information

Prohibited in penal system

State report

French Guiana
(France overseas territory)

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools Click for additional information

Prohibited in penal system Click for additional information

State report

French Polynesia
(France overseas territory)

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools Click for additional information

Prohibited in penal system Click for additional information

State report

Gabon

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools

Prohibited in penal system

State report

Gambia

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools

Permitted in penal system

State report

Georgia

Permitted in the home

Prohibited in schools Click for additional information

Prohibited in penal system

State report

Prohibited in the home Click for additional information

Prohibited in schools

Prohibited in penal system

State report

Ghana

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools

Permitted in penal system

State report

Gibraltar
(UK Dependency)

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools

Permitted in penal system

State report

Prohibited in the home Click for additional information

Prohibited in schools

Prohibited in penal system

State report

Greenland
(Denmark Self Governing Territory)

Permitted in the home

Prohibited in schools

Prohibited in penal system

State report

Grenada

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools

Permitted in penal system

State report

Guadeloupe
(France overseas territory)

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools Click for additional information

Prohibited in penal system Click for additional information

State report

Guam
(US territory)

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools

Prohibited in penal system Click for additional information

State report

Guatemala

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools

Permitted in penal system

State report

Guernsey
(British Crown Dependency)

Permitted in the home

Prohibited in schools

Permitted in penal system Click for additional information

State report

Guinea

Permitted in the home

Prohibited in schools

Permitted in penal system Click for additional information

State report

Guinea-Bissau

Permitted in the home

Prohibited in schools

Prohibited in penal system Click for additional information

State report

Guyana

Permitted in the home

Permitted in schools

Permitted in penal system Click for additional information

State report

Haiti

Permitted in the home Click for additional information

Prohibited in schools

Prohibited in penal system

State report

Honduras

Permitted in the home

Prohibited in schools

Permitted in penal system

State report

Hong Kong
(China SAR)

Permitted in the home

Prohibited in schools

Prohibited in penal system

State report

Prohibited in the home Click for additional information

Prohibited in schools

Prohibited in penal system

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