Summary:

The Committee on the Rights of the Child ended its 42nd session last Friday and adopted a new General Comment (number 8) on the question of corporal punishment.

http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/co/CRC.C.GC.8.pdf

The Committee regularly adopts "general comments" based on specific articles, provisions and themes of the Convention on the Rights of the Child to assist the States parties in fulfilling their obligations under the Convention and to stimulate international organisations and specialised agencies in achieving the full realisation of the rights recognised in the Convention.

Members may propose at any time that a general comment relating to a specific article, provision or theme be prepared. The Committee sometimes decide to develop a general comment on an article, provision or theme that has been discussed earlier in one of its General Day of Discussion. The Committee generally shares draft general comments with selected number of experts, including those from the other treaty bodies, for comments.

Following its two General Discussion Days on violence against children, held in 2000 and 2001, the Committee on the Rights of the Child resolved to issue a series of General Comments concerning eliminating violence against children, of which General Comment 8 is the first.

The Committee aims to guide States parties in understanding the provisions of the Convention concerning the protection of children against all forms of violence. This General Comment focuses on corporal punishment and other cruel or degrading forms of punishment, which are currently very widely accepted and practiced forms of violence against children.

Further information:

• General Comment No. 8: The right of the child to protection from corporal punishment and other cruel or degrading forms of punishment
• Committee on the Rights of the Child concludes its 42nd session
• Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children
• CRIN's website on the UN Study on violence against children
• CRIN's Newsletter on Children and Violence

• Visit the Committee's webpage

• View all of the Committee's General Comments

Previous UN report items

• 01/06/2006: General Comment No. 8: Protection from corporal punishment and other cruel or degrading treatment
• 31/05/2006: Youth and Violent Conflict: Society and Development in Crisis?
• 30/05/2006: Articles 65-67 of 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS
• 30/05/2006: Rapport sur l’épidémie mondiale de SIDA 2006
• 19/05/2006: Committee against Torture: Conclusions and Recommendations on the Report of the United States

Organisation Contact Details:

UN OHCHR - Committee on the Rights of the Child
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
CH 1211 Geneva 10
Tel: +41 22 917 9000
Website: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/index.htm

Last updated 28/10/2013 12:21:24

Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.