Submitted by jonas on
[March 2015] - Benin and Andorra have joined the list of states prohibiting all corporal punishment, bringing the global total to 46 (seven in Africa, 28 in Europe).
Benin’s new Children’s Code 2015, passed by the National Assembly on 26 January, states in article 39 that discipline by parents and others must respect the child’s human dignity. Article 130 states (unofficial translation):
“The State will ensure that discipline within the family, at school and in other public or private institutions does not involve corporal punishment or any other form of cruel or degrading treatment.”
The prohibition is confirmed in relation to schools in article 119 and for children in care in article 220.
In Andorra, the Government has long asserted that the law protected children from corporal punishment, including in the home, but there was no explicit prohibition. The Criminal Code has now been amended to confirm that provisions against assault – including that which does not cause injury – include corporal punishment.
A further 47 states are committed to reforming their laws to prohibit all corporal punishment of children, including in the home.
For further details, see the individual country reports for Andorra and Benin.
