Summary:

In every nation in Europe it is illegal to hit people. Children are people too, yet in two thirds of Council of Europe member states, the criminal assault laws that protect adults from violence fall far short of protecting children.

http://www.crin.org/docs/OffBooks_en.pdf

In every nation in Europe it is illegal to hit people. Children are people too, yet in two thirds of Council of Europe member states, the criminal assault laws that protect adults from violence fall far short of protecting children. Everyday children are hit in the name of “educative” discipline and “reasonable chastisement”.

Off the books! aims to brief parliamentarians and other lawmakers on the legal and support measures needed to achieve effective prohibition of all corporal punishment of children.

The first part provides guidance on analysing and improving national legislation. This may involve removing legal defences that allow corporal punishment to slip through the net. Or it may entail adding explicit provisions in child protection acts, civil and family codes, and so forth, clearly stating that neither parents nor other adults are allowed to
use corporal punishment and other forms of humiliating treatment on children. The second part focuses on understanding and implementation.

Once full prohibition is achieved in law, governments must raise awareness at all levels on children’s human rights and implement policy measures to support prohibition, applying to both families and child professionals.

Further information

• Council of Europe: Building a Europe for and with Children
• Council of Europe: Related publications
• Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children
• CRIN Children and Violence website

Previous Training Materials items

• 04/06/2008: Children with HIV& Aids: Guide to Social& Psychological Treatment of Children with HIV& Aids (Arabic)
• 15/05/2008: ADVOCACY: Guide on How to Engage with the International Human Rights Machinery
• 04/05/2008: Violence Against Children: Guidelines for Questioning a child victim of violence(Arabic)
• 14/04/2008: Recommandations pour un appui de la participation des enfants dans le procédé de rapport au CDE
• 29/02/2008: AFRICAN CHARTER: Guidelines for the consideration of communications provided for in Article 44

Organisation Contact Details:

Council of Europe
Council of Europe
Building a Europe for and with children
Agora Building
F-67075
France
Tel: +33 3 88 41 22 78
Email: children@coe.int
Website: www.coe.int/children

Last updated 04/12/2013 11:40:23

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