The World Health Organization (WHO) has referred to corporal punishment as a global public health concern that causes harm to children’s physical and mental wellbeing.
A fresh report by the health agency noted that in 49 low- or middle-income countries, children exposed to the practice were 24% less likely to enjoy emotional stability as their peers.
Globally, an estimated 1.2 billion children are subjected to corporal punishment each year.
According to the report, in the past month, 17% of all children exposed to corporal punishment suffered severe forms, such as being hit on the head, face or ears, or being hit hard repeatedly.
Calling for an end to the violent practice, Etienne Krug, director of the WHO department for health determinants, promotion and prevention, shared that the punishment does not benefit child’s wellbeing and development.
Children exposed to corporal punishment are more likely to have anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and emotional instability, which continue into adulthood and can lead to alcohol and drug use, violent behaviour and suicide.
Among children aged two to 14 years, rates of corporal punishment in the past month ranged from 30% in Kazakhstan and 32% in Ukraine to 63% in Serbia, 64% in Sierra Leone and 77% in Togo.
Furthermore, in Africa and Central America, 70% of children experienced school corporal punishment in their lifetime.
Across all regions, corporal punishment was reported to be common at primary and high school levels and is often accompanied by psychological torment, including behaviour that humiliates or scares a child.
Notably, as of now, 68 states out of 193 have fully prohibited corporal punishment, with the first country banning the practice being Sweden in 1979.
