The UK is lagging behind more than a third of other European countries by not banning smacking, an alliance of children’s charities claimed this week following a landmark ruling, writes Amy Taylor.
The Council of Europe, a political organisation to defend human rights, ruled that previous Supreme Court judgements in Italy and Portugal prohibit all corporal punishment in these countries, including in the home, meaning that 16 out of the 46 countries in Europe now ban smacking.
The Children Are Unbeatable! Alliance (UK), a group of organisations that campaign for children to have the same legal protection against being hit as adults, argue that the latest ruling adds to the growing human rights pressure on the UK, including two recommendations by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, for clear legislation to give children equal protection under assault laws.
The UK is a party to the European Social Charter, a Council of
Europe treaty which requires any form of violence against children
to be banned in legislation, but it cannot be judged in breach of
its human rights obligations under the charter due to it not being
signed up to its complaints procedure
Details of government consultations
21 August 2008
Private Member Bills
25 July 2008
Government Legislation
25 July 2008
