COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD CONCLUDES GENERAL DISCUSSION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN WITHIN THE FAMILY AND IN SCHOOLS

CRC
28th session
28 September 2001
Afternoon




The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon concluded its day of general discussion on the theme of 'violence against children within the family and in schools' by making a series of recommendations, which it will adopt during the course of its current session.

The discussion focused on how to prevent violence against children in the family environment and in the schools and on methods to protect them from such harms. Over the course of the discussion and in the recommendations presented at the end of the debate, the need to prohibit the practice of corporal punishment, however light it might be, was underlined.

It was recommended, among other things, that States parties be urged to repeal, as a matter of urgency, any legislation that allowed violence to be used as a form of discipline within the family, contrary to the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Committee recognized that different forms of violence against children, such as corporal punishment, bullying, sexual harassment and abuse, and verbal and emotional abuse were interlinked, and that violence in the home and school context reinforced one another.

The Committee emphasized that violence was wrong and unacceptable under any circumstances; and the actions to stop violence against children needed to take adequate account of different contexts and should fully engage local actors.

A Committee Expert who took the floor at the end of the discussion stressed that parents, teachers and the society should be empowered to seek other forms of rearing children and applying disciplinary measures in schools.

When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Monday, 1 October, it will take up the second periodic report of Portugal.


Recommendations on Violence Against Children in the Family

At the international level, among other things, it was recommended that studies should be carried out on the different types of violent treatment of which children were victims, the extent of such violence and its impact on children. The Committee recommended that account be taken of its General Comment no. 1 on the aims of education which emphasized the impact of violence in schools on the denial of the child's right to an education directed to the development of the child's personality, talent and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential.

The Committee urged agencies and bodies of the United Nations system to adopt a more integrated multi sectoral approach to the prevention of violence against children, including through public health and epidemiological approaches, consideration of poverty and socio-economic marginalization, and the impact of multiple forms of discrimination.

The Committee also urged States parties to repeal, as a matter of urgency, any legislation that allowed violence to be used as a form of discipline within the family, contrary to the provisions of the Convention; and States parties were recommended to review all relevant child protection legislation to ensure that while effective protection was ensured, intervention was adequately tailored to individual context and circumstances, preferring the least intrusive method.

In addition, the Committee encouraged States parties, non-governmental organizations, UN human rights mechanisms, UN agencies and other bodies to give priority to raising awareness and bringing about change in cultural attitudes about the problem of violence against children.


Recommendations on Violence against Children in Schools

The Committee recommended that an alternative vision of a school where the rights and dignity of all were respected including children and teachers should guide all actions on the issue of violence against children. The main strategy should be to galvanize actions around that vision rather than using punitive measures. In that vision relations between and among children and teachers were mutually respectful and the safety and security of all was promoted.

The Committee recognized that different forms of violence against children, such as corporal punishment, bullying, sexual harassment and abuse, and verbal and emotional abuse were interlinked, and that violence in the home and school context reinforced one another.

The Committee recognized that it was extremely difficult to manage schools without resorting to violent means when schools were over overcrowded, lacked basic materials, and when teachers were under motivated and poorly compensated.

The Committee encouraged non-governmental organizations to devote increased attention to the prevention and protection of children from violence in schools.




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