Transcript The role of the civil society in combatting corporal

The role of the civil society in
combating corporal
punishment against children
Maria Herczog Ph.D
Member of CRC Committee and EESC
Brussels, 30 September, 2008
General Comment 8 of CRC
 Right to protection from corporal
punishment and other cruel or
degrading forms of punishment (para
art. 19, 28,37)
 “The Committee believes that the
implementation of the prohibition of all
forms of corporal punishment requires
awareness raising guidance and
training for all those involved”
General Comment 8 of CRC
 “Given the widespread traditional
acceptance of corporal punishment,
prohibition on its own will not achieve
the necessary change in attitude and
practice…States must ensure that
positive, non-violent relationships and
education are consistently promoted to
parents, carers, teachers and all others
who work with children and families”
General Comment 8 of CRC
 „Corporal punishment is in conflict
with the child’s human dignity and right
to physical integity.”
The role of Europe
„The EU abhors the use of corporal punishment in
schools, which is outlawed in all EU Member States,
and invites all States that have not yet done so to
follow suit. The EU welcomes the appeals towards
the prohibition of corporal punishment in schools
and places of detention contained in the Study of the
Independent Expert, Professor Pinheiro, and
commends the work that the relevant UN agencies
and the numerous non-governmental organisations
that have actively participated in the study are
carrying forward on this important issue.” (Ms. Kirsti
Pohjankukka, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission
of Finland to the UN, on behalf of the EU)
The role of Europe
 “European Parliament expressed in the
draft resolution (Provisional 2007/2093
(INI) Towards an EU strategy on the
rights of the child. The resolution
presents the broad lines of this
strategy and focuses on some priority
aspects, in particular violence against
children, poverty/discrimination and
migrant children”
The role of Europe
“Mainstreaming children’s rights in EU
policies requires an urgent call for the
implementation of the
recommendations made in the UN
report on Violence against Children….
The same applies for the prohibition by
law of all forms of violence against
children, including corporal
punishment ”
The role of Europe
“The Lisbon Reform Treaty creates a new
opportunity to realise a European
Social Action Programme by giving EU
new social objectives: "full employment
and social progress, combating
exclusion and discrimination,
promoting social justice and
protection, equality between men and
women, solidarity between generations
and the protection of the child".
Towards an EU Strategy on the
Rights of the Child
“The Commission identified children's
rights as one of its main priorities in its
Communication on Violence against
children has been of increasing
concern within the EU in recent years.
It takes a range of forms, from violence
in the family and in schools..”
The role of EESC and its position
SOC/288/2007
Improving the quality of teacher education
3.2 Schools in turn have become more democratic and more
heterogeneous, the product of a society which has also
become more diverse, more demanding and more complex. As
a result, democracy, equality and diversity have become
fundamental concepts of schools today
 3.3 The phenomena of immigration, social discrimination,
poverty, youth violence, especially in urban areas, and greater
job instability and long-term unemployment have “infiltrated”
schools and have made teaching more complex and difficult, as
well as more unstable and insecure. Often, teachers do not
know how to deal with these new phenomena and do not
receive the support they would need to do so.
The role of EESC and its position
SOC 248 on the Strategy towards a Strategy on the
Right of the Child
„The EESC welcomes the recently published report of
the independent expert, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, for
the United Nations study on violence against
children. The report "urges states to prohibit all
forms of violence against children, in all settings,
including all corporal punishment, harmful
traditional practices”
“The EESC urges the Commission to consider the
appointment of a Special Representative on Violence
against Children in order to promote and support the
implementation of the recommendations made in the
report.”
The role of EESC and its position
SOC/257 European Strategy on alcohol-related harm, 2007
“Domestic violence is a serious problem in many
countries.
The EESC urges specific attention to this issue, given the
strong links between domestic violence and heavy
drinking. ..Heavy drinking can involve more acts of
violence and more severe violence. ..A reduction in heavy
drinking not only benefits the victims and the perpetrators
of violence, but also the children living in such families.”
The role of EESC and the civil society to
ban all forms of corporal punishment
 Awareness raising, campaigns of good quality
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information and practice
Providing non-violent alternatives,
Making more visible how does it influence all
forms of social behaviour, children’s and adults
life, the impact on quality of life
Parent and professional education, self help
groups,
Child participation
Lobbying
Research, monitoring, evaluation