<p>Corporal punishment of children: summaries of prevalence and attitudinal research in the last 10 years – East and Southern Africa Prepared by the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children (www.endcorporalpunishment.org, [email protected])</p><p>Botswana In June 2007, the Education Secretary for Ngami region reported a Baseline Study which found that 92% of students had been beaten in school and that this was supported by 67% of parents. Reported in Daily News, 13 June 2007</p><p>In survey research by DITSHWANELO on corporal punishment in schools, about 90% of respondents said they used corporal punishment on children. Reported in correspondence with the Global Initiative, February 2006</p><p>Burundi Interviews with children in conflict with the law and with parents and law enforcement officials, carried out by Human Rights Watch in 2006-2007, found that many children had been beaten and suffered other ill treatment while in detention. Human Rights Watch (2007), Paying the price: Violations of the rights of children in detention in Burundi</p><p>Ethiopia A study involving 47 focus group discussions and 26 interviews with children and adults found that corporal punishment was widespread: 68% of the focus groups who discussed parental corporal punishment said beating was common, 15% said it was rare and 17% said it did not happen; 63% of the groups who discussed corporal punishment by teachers said beating was common, 6% rare and 31% it did not happen. Corporal punishment usually involved children being beaten with a hand or a stick. Other punishments included shouting at children, pinching them, forcing them to maintain painful positions and forcing them to look at the sun. Lelieveld, M. (2011), Child Protection in the Somali Region of Ethiopia, BRIDGES Project, Feinstein International Center & Tufts University A 2010 African Child Policy Forum report on violence against children with disabilities in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia documented a very high level of violence. Nearly a thousand 18 -24 year olds took part in the study across the five countries, reporting on their experiences as children. In Ethiopia, 68% had experienced at least one type of physical violence during their childhood. Over 50% had been hit, punched, kicked or beaten; over 25% had been denied food. The most common perpetrators of physical violence were mothers (12.5%), fathers (12.1%) and other relatives (15%). Across the five countries, 23% said they had experienced physical violence that was “mostly discipline, reasonable and justified”, 27% physical violence that was “mostly discipline but not reasonable or justified”. Twenty-six per cent said they had experienced emotional violence that was “discipline, but not reasonable or justified”, 22% that was “disciplinary, reasonable and justified”. Across all five countries, more than half (54%) of those who had been physically beaten said they had suffered broken bones, teeth, bleeding or bruising; 2% had been permanently disabled; 21% required medical attention; 13% had to miss school or work; and 20% had needed rest at home. For all five countries, the majority of respondents with physical, visual and intellectual disabilities experienced physical violence more than 10 times. The report recommends prohibition of all corporal punishment, including in the home, as a way to minimise the risk of violence against children with disabilities. The African Child Policy Forum (2010), Violence Against Children With Disabilities in Africa: Field Studies from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia, Addis Ababa: The African Child Policy Forum</p><p>A 2010 study into childcare institutions in Ethiopia studied 87 institutions through visits, document reviews, interviews and focus groups with institution staff, parents of children living in institutions and former residents. The study found that children in institutions were frequently subjected to physical, sexual, and psychological abuse and exploitation. In focus group discussions, foster care was also discussed. Participants stated that children in foster care, too, often experienced violence at the hands of their caregivers, and that foster children were treated as “second-class citizens”. The report does not examine the extent to which the violence was inflicted in the context of “discipline”. FHI (2010), Improving Care Options for Children in Ethiopia through Understanding Institutional Child Care and Factors Driving Institutionalization</p><p>A study in 116 schools in various areas of Ethiopia, which looked at violence against girls in schools, found that 34% of students but only 25% of teachers stated that girls experience corporal punishment in schools. Save the Children Denmark (2008), A study on violence against girls in primary schools and its impacts on girls’ education in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, www.ungei.org/resources/files/Study_on_Violence_Against_Schoolgfils_final.pdf A survey of 485 women in Ethiopia aged 18-24 concerning their childhood experiences of violence, undertaken by the Africa Child Policy Forum and published in 2006, found that 84% had suffered one or more types of violence. Beating with an object was found to be the most prevalent form of physical violence (71.1%). Prevalence figures for other forms of physical abuse were 59.5% for punching, 43.3% kicking, 28.6% being forced to carry out hard work, 12.4% being choked/burned/stabbed, 10.9% having spicy/bitter food put into mouth, 9.7% being locked up, and 8.3% being denied food. Girls were most vulnerable to being beaten with an object when aged 10-13 (59.4%) and to being hit/punched when aged 14-17 (58.4%). Experiencing the violence more than ten times was more likely in the case of beating than other types of physical violence except for hard work. Most beating with an object and hitting/punching was carried out by mothers (45.2% and 27.2% respectively), followed by fathers (39.1% and 21.5%) and brothers (23.9% and 24%). In 55.5% of cases, the hitting/punching resulted in “bruises or scratches, broken bones or teeth, or bleeding”, 32.2% for beating with an object. The most frequent reasons given to the girls by the perpetrators of the violence were reported as doing something wrong, disrupting the home/class, going out without permission or coming in late, failing to complete an assignment, refusing to accept a proposal for love or sex, giving a confrontational reply, and going out with men. Stavropoulos, J. (2006), Violence Against Girls in Africa: A Retrospective Survey in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, Addis Ababa, The African Child Policy Forum</p><p>Kenya A study involving more than 1,000 girls in Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique analysed the impact of ActionAid’s 2008-2013 project “Stop Violence Against Girls in School”. The project included awareness raising and lobbying for the adoption and implementation of legal and policy measures that ensure education is free from corporal punishment in the three countries. The study found that in 2013 the use of some forms of corporal punishment had reduced since the baseline survey carried out in 2009. In Kenya in 2013, 55% of girls had been beaten in the past year compared to 80% in 2009, although the proportion of girls who had been whipped in the past year increased from 50% in 2009 to 70% in 2013. Girls’ most recent experiences of corporal punishment usually took place in school. The study recommends measures to implement the prohibition of corporal punishment in schools. ActionAid International (2013), Stop Violence Against Girls in School: A cross-country analysis of change in Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique, Johannesburg: ActionAid</p><p>In a national survey carried out in 2010, nearly half of the 13-17 year olds involved (48.7% of girls and 47.6% of boys) reported having been slapped, pushed, punched, kicked, whipped, beaten or threatened or attacked with a weapon in the past year. Two thirds (66%) of females and 73% of males aged 18-24 reported experiencing this before they were 18. Perpetrators included authority figures, parents and adult relatives. The survey involved 1,306 females and 1,622 males aged 13-24. UNICEF Kenya Country Office et al (2012), Violence against Children in Kenya: Findings from a 2010 National Survey, Nairobi: UNICEF Kenya Country Office, Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & Kenya National Bureau of Statistics</p><p>Seventy-one per cent of Kenyans think governments should completely outlaw all violence in schools. However, over half of adult Kenyans believe their religion allows them to slap their children if they do not behave. Global Advocacy Team (2012), Plan’s Learn Without Fear campaign: Third progress report, Woking, UK: Plan According to statistics collected under round 4 of the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey programme (MICS4), 77.7% of children aged 2-14 in Mombasa informal settlements experienced violent “discipline” (physical punishment and/or psychological aggression) in the home in the month prior to the survey, carried out in 2009. Over two thirds (67.9%) experienced “minor” physical punishment, 19.1% severe physical punishment (being hit or slapped on the face, head or ears or being hit over and over with an implement) and 51% psychological aggression (being shouted at, yelled at, screamed at or insulted). Forty per cent of mothers and caregivers thought physical punishment was necessary in childrearing. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2010), Mombasa Informal Settlement Survey, Kenya, 2009, Nairobi: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics</p><p>A study of the relationship between gender and physical punishment in China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Philippines, Sweden, Thailand and the US, which used interviews with around 4,000 mothers, fathers and children aged 7-10, found that in Kenya 82% of girls and 97% of boys involved in the study had experienced “mild” corporal punishment (spanking, hitting, or slapping with a bare hand; hitting or slapping on the hand, arm, or leg; shaking; or hitting with an object), and 61% of girls and 62% of boys had experienced severe corporal punishment (hitting or slapping the child on the face, head, or ears; beating the child repeatedly with an implement) by someone in their household in the past month. Smaller percentages of parents believed it was necessary to use corporal punishment to bring up their child (for girls, 44% of mothers and 48% of fathers believed it was necessary; for boys, 56% of mothers and 54% of fathers). Lansford, J. et al (2010), “Corporal Punishment of Children in Nine Countries as a Function of Child Gender and Parent Gender”, International Journal of Pediatrics</p><p>In a survey of 500 young women in Kenya aged 18-24 concerning their childhood experiences of violence, undertaken by the Africa Child Policy Forum and published in 2006, 99% reported experiencing physical violence. Beating with an object was the most prevalent form of physical violence (80.8%), though the research does not investigate the degree to which this and other physical violence was explicitly in the guise of “discipline”. Prevalence figures for other forms of physical violence were 59.5% for punching, 39.6% kicking, 43.8% hard work, 20.5% being choked/burned/stabbed, 12.3% having spicy/bitter substances put in mouth, 14.3% being locked or tied up, and 35% being denied food. Girls were found to be most vulnerable when aged 10-13. Experiencing the violence more than ten times was more likely in the case of beating than other types of physical violence. Most beating with an object was carried out by mothers (23.5%), followed by female teachers (15.3%) and fathers (13.3%). Most hitting/punching was carried out by female teachers (16.1%), followed by mothers (14.2%) and male teachers (11.3%), with medical attention necessary in 20% of cases. In 52.3% of cases, the hitting/punching resulted in “bruises or scratches, broken bones or teeth, or bleeding”; the figure for beating with an object was 64.6%. Stavropoulos, J. (2006), Violence Against Girls in Africa: A Retrospective Survey in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, Addis Ababa, The African Child Policy Forum Lesotho As part of a situational analysis of vulnerable children carried out in 2011, caregivers were asked whether children had been disciplined for behavioural problems in the three months prior to the survey; 9.2% of all children had been hit or shaken in response to a perceived behavioural problem. An implement was used in 75.1% of cases, with the child hit on the bottom (40%), hand/arm/leg (26.8%), or face/head/ears (6.8%). A bruise or other mark was left on the child due to the punishment in 15.4% of cases, meaning 1.4% of all children had been physically punished to such an extent that it left a mark. A total of 40.8% of children aged 12-17 years believed that physical discipline was necessary to raise a child. Of these children, 14.3% said that they had been called a name or called stupid in the three months before the survey. Reported in Government of Lesotho, Initial Report of Lesotho on the Implementation of the African Union Charter on the Rights & Welfare of the Child 1999-2013</p><p>Madagascar A study involving 100 children aged 4-17 who had experienced violence and 30 parents and other family members revealed the severity of violence experienced by children. More than half the children (52%) had been beaten with an object such as a belt or a broom, 49% had been hit with a hand, most commonly on the back or the head, and 19% had been pinched or had a part of their body twisted. Other types of violence included being insulted and threatened, having their hair pulled and being attacked with a knife. Parents were the most common perpetrators of violence: of the 100 children, 43 had experienced violence from their biological mother, 30 from their biological father and 7 from both. Other perpetrators included grandparents, stepparents, uncles, aunts and older siblings. Thirty-five per cent of the children experienced violence every day, 9% every week, 5% every month and 50% “sometimes”. Plate Forme de la Société Civile pour l’Enfance & Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Juridiques (2011), La violence a l’egard des enfants au sein de la famille en situation precaire a Antananarivo, Antananarivo: Plate Forme de la Société Civile pour l’Enfance & Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Juridiques, Université d’Antananarivo</p><p>According to a survey conducted in the four regions of southern Madagascar in 2012, 64% of children age 2–14 years were subjected to physical punishment during the month preceding the survey, with 20% of children subjected to severe physical punishment. Overall, 84% of children were subjected to at least one form of psychological or physical punishment by their mothers, caregivers or other adult household members. Instat Madagascar, World Bank & UNICEF (2013), Madagascar Sud: Enquête par Grappes à Indicateurs Multiples (MICS) 2012, Rapport Final</p><p>Malawi A study of the 104 childcare institutions (orphanages, special needs centres, church homes, transit care centres and reformatory centres) in Malawi, which involved interviews with staff in the institutions and focus group discussions with children, documented the use of corporal punishment, including children being whipped, forced to kneel and forced to do hard work. UNICEF Malawi & Ministry of Gender, Children and Community Development (2011), All Children Count: A Baseline Study of Children in Institutional Care in Malawi, Lilongwe: UNICEF</p><p>In a study in 40 schools, involving interviews with 800 students and 288 teachers, 68.5% of students reported having been whipped/caned (20.5% in the home, 48% in school); 70.6% said they had experienced beating/fighting. More boys than girls reported being beaten (47.2% and 40.7% respectively). DevTech Systems, Inc. and Centre for Educational Research and Training (2007), The Safe Schools program: Students and teacher baseline report on school-related gender-based violence in Machinga district, Malawi, USAID A study by the Human Rights Commission of Malawi in 2007 found that despite prohibition, corporal punishment is still used in schools, especially in private schools.</p><p>Malawi Human Rights Commission (2007), The Existence and Implementation of Laws, Policies, and Regulations in Education and How They Affect the Girl-Child in Malawi</p><p>According to a 2014 survey, 42.9% of 1–14 year olds were subjected to physical punishment during the month preceding the survey, with 6.4% subjected to severe physical punishment. In contrast, only 5.5% of respondents believed that physical punishment is needed to bring up, raise, or educate a child properly. Over 72% of children were subjected to at least one form of psychological or physical punishment by their parents or other adult household members, while less than 20% of children experienced only non- violent discipline. National Statistical Office (2015), Monitoring the situation of children and women: Malawi MDG Endline Survey 2014, Zomba, Malawi: National Statistical Office</p><p>Mozambique A study involving more than 1,000 girls in Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique analysed the impact of ActionAid’s 2008-2013 project “Stop Violence Against Girls in School”. The project included awareness raising and lobbying for the adoption and implementation of legal and policy measures that ensure education is free from corporal punishment in the three countries. The study found that in 2013 the use of some forms of corporal punishment had reduced since the baseline survey carried out in 2009. In Mozambique in 2009, 52% of girls had been whipped or caned in the past 12 months; by 2013, this had dropped to 29%. Girls’ most recent experiences of corporal punishment usually took place in school. The study recommends prohibition of corporal punishment in schools and measures to implement the prohibition. ActionAid International (2013), Stop Violence Against Girls in School: A cross-country analysis of change in Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique, Johannesburg: ActionAid</p><p>In 2009, over 2,600 children aged 6-18 took part in a survey, while 168 children drew pictures and talked about the last time they were punished at home and at school. One child in three had been hit with a hand at home in the past two weeks, 37% beaten with an object; 6-8 year olds were more likely to have been hit than older children, and children from low income families were more likely to have been hit than children from high income families. About one child in three had been hit with a hand at school in the past two weeks, 40% hit with an object. Clacherty, G. et al (2009), Children’s Experiences of Punishment in Mozambique: A Qualitative and Quantitative Survey, Pretoria: Save the Children Sweden</p><p>Namibia A 2008 survey of 1,680 respondents found that 78% thought a parent had a right to hit their child if the child was disobedient, 63% if the child did not want to go to school, 51% if the child ran away from home and 27% if the child performed poorly in school. Almost 61% believed it was common in their communities for children to be smacked or caned. Respondents from households with children aged 2-14 years old were asked what forms of discipline had been used in their household: 40% said children had been spanked, hit or slapped on the bottom with a bare hand, 30% said children had been hit with objects and 18% that children had been hit or slapped on the face, head or ears. SIAPAC (2008), Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Study on Factors and Traditional Practices that may Perpetuate or Protect Namibians from Gender Based Violence and Discrimination: Caprivi, Erongo, Karas, Kavango, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, and Otjozondjupa Regions (Final Report), Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, cited in Hubbard, D. et al (2010), Corporal Punishment: National and International Perspectives, Windhoek: Legal Assistance Centre Rwanda A study which involved discussions with 22 parents, 12 children and nine teachers in one semi-rural and one remote rural area found that the most common punishment in homes and schools was beating children. Children were also punished by being denied food, shouted at, insulted, forced to do hard work, burned, chased out of the house and not allowed to go to school. Mina, E. (2013), Corporal and Degrading Punishment of Children in Rwanda: Promoting Positive Discipline at School and at Home, Master Thesis, Freie Universität Berlin</p><p>A 2012 study of men’s childhood experiences of violence in Brazil, Chile, Croatia, India, Mexico and Rwanda, which involved men aged 18-59 living in urban settings, found a high prevalence of corporal punishment in all six countries. In Rwanda, of the 2,204 men who participated, 60% reported having been spanked or slapped by a parent in the home during childhood, 23% threatened with physical punishment in the home and 29% humiliated by someone in their family in front of other people. Men who had experienced violence, including corporal punishment, during childhood, were more likely to perpetrate intimate partner violence, hold inequitable gender attitudes, be involved in fights outside the home or robberies, pay for sex and experience low self-esteem and depression, and were less likely to participate in domestic duties, communicate openly with their partners, attend pre-natal visits when their partner is pregnant and/or take paternity leave. Contreras, M. et al (2012), Bridges to Adulthood: Understanding the Lifelong Influence of Men's Childhood Experiences of Violence, Analyzing Data from the International Men and Gender Equality Survey, Washington DC: International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) and Rio de Janeiro: Instituto Promundo</p><p>South Africa According to Government statistics published in 2014, 13.5% of school students experienced corporal punishment at school in 2013. School corporal punishment was most prevalent in Eastern Cape (experienced by 24.1% of school students), KwaZulu‐Natal (22.2%) and Free State (16.6%). Statistics South Africa (2014), General Household Survey 2013, Pretoria: Statistics South Africa</p><p>During the 2012-2013 financial year, the South African Council of Educators received 182 complaints about school corporal punishment. South African Council of Educators (2013), Annual Report 2012-2013, Centurion: SACE</p><p>During the 2012-2013 financial year, the South African Human Rights Commission received 125 allegations of corporal punishment in schools, compared to 117 allegations during the 2011-2012 financial year. Reported in IOL News, 22 July 2013</p><p>The 2012 National School Violence Study revealed the continued use of physical punishment within South African schools. Overall, a total of 49.8% of the 5,939 learners surveyed had been caned or spanked by an educator or principal. This percentage was up from 47.5% in 2008, suggesting that little headway had been made in reducing corporal punishment in schools. Provincial rates of corporal punishment ranged from 22.4% to 73.7%, with the highest levels of corporal punishment in KwaZulu- Natal (73.7%). Burton, P. & Leoschut, L. (2013), School Violence in South Africa: Results of the 2012 National School Violence Study, Cape Town: The Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention The 2011-2012 annual report of the South African Council for Educators (SACE) reported that 174 cases of corporal punishment were reported to SACE in 2011-2012, compared with 100 cases in 2010-2011. South African Council for Educators (2012), Annual Report 2011-2012: Promoting Excellence in the Teaching Profession, Centurion: SACE</p><p>The Statistics SA General Household Survey 2011, which involved 30,000 households between July and September 2011, found that 17% of students in South Africa had experienced corporal punishment at school in the past year. The highest percentage of students experiencing corporal punishment was in the Eastern Cape, where there was an increase from 23% in 2010 to 30% in 2011. In Limpopo, the percentage of students experiencing corporal punishment rose from 9% in 2010 to 19% in 2011. In the Northern Cape, North West and Gauteng, the percentage of students experiencing corporal punishment declined since 2010. The lowest percentage of students experiencing corporal punishment was in the Western Cape (4%). Statistics South Africa (2012), General household survey 2011, Pretoria: Statistics South Africa</p><p>A survey by Statistics SA revealed that the use of corporal punishment in schools declined overall between 2009 and 2010, from 17% of students experiencing corporal punishment in 2009 to 14% in 2010. However, in some areas the use of corporal punishment increased: in the Northern Cape, from 5.6% to 17.5%, and in the North West, from 12.7% to 21.7%. Reported in “Disturbing rise in corporal punishment – survey”, News24, 5 May 2011, www.news24.com</p><p>In 2008 the Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention released its report on the National Schools Violence Study, which provides a baseline from which to monitor school violence in the future. Over 12,000 students took part in the survey, as well as nearly 800 principals and educators at 245 primary and secondary schools. The study found that, despite prohibition in schools, 71% of primary school children and 47.5% of secondary school children experienced corporal punishment. Rates of corporal punishment varied by province, with 90% of primary school educators or principals in the Northern Cape using corporal punishment, 81% in Limpopo and 78% in the Eastern Cape. Secondary school principals and educators were most likely to use corporal punishment in the Free State (61.8%), Gauteng (61%) and the Eastern Cape (58.5%). The report notes a strong correlation in provinces between high rates of corporal punishment and use of violence by students. Almost half (47.3%) of primary school children suffered corporal punishment in the home. Students who experienced corporal punishment at home were more likely to report experiencing violence at school than those who did not experience corporal punishment at home. Burton, P. (2008), Merchants, Skollies and Stones: Experiences of School Violence in South Africa, Cape Town: Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, www.cjcp.org.za/admin/uploads/NSVS-final-internet-ready.pdf , accessed 1 July 2010</p><p>The National Youth Victimisation Study released in May 2006 by the Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention reported on a survey of 4,409 young people aged between 12 and 22 years which found that nationally 51.4% of children continue to be subjected to corporal punishment in schools, with the lowest prevalence being 17% in the Western Cape. The survey also found that around a quarter of the youth live in a home where domestic violence between caregivers or parents is common. Reported in “Corporal punishment still rife in classrooms despite being banned”, Cape Times, 11 May 2006</p><p>Nationally, 244 complaints of misconduct for corporal punishment were filed against educators between April 2014 and February 2015 (out of a total of 525 complaints of misconduct). Parliamentary response, reported in “Tardy pupils ‘beaten with pipes’”, IOL News, 29 June 2015, www.iol.co.za The number of complaints relating to corporal punishment in South African schools has increased in the past two years, despite being outlawed. The South African Council of Educators (SACE) received 245 reports of corporal punishment against teachers in the 2014-2015 financial year, compared to 202 reported cases in 2013-2014. The organisation has conducted 36 investigations in the last year, all of which resulted in disciplinary hearings; 30 teachers were convicted for administering corporal punishment while the rest received advisory notes or letters. It is unclear whether corporal punishment or reporting of it is on the rise, as more people become aware of SACE and its functions. Reported in “Corporal punishment rising”, The New Age, 17 September 2015, http://thenewage.co.za/</p><p>Swaziland According to statistics collected in 2010 under round 4 of the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey programme (MICS4), 88.9% of children aged 2-14 experienced violent “discipline” (physical punishment and/or psychological aggression) in the home in the month prior to the survey; 82.1% of mothers and caregivers thought physical punishment was necessary in childrearing. Two thirds (66%) of children experienced physical punishment; 11.7% experienced severe physical punishment (being hit or slapped on the face, head or ears or being hit over and over with an implement), and 82.1% experienced psychological aggression (being shouted at, yelled at, screamed at or insulted). Central Statistical Office & UNICEF (2011), Swaziland Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2010: Final Report, Mbabane: Central Statistical Office & UNICEF</p><p>Uganda In a 2013 survey that involved interviews with nearly 400 5-17 year olds, 35.2% had been hit or “spanked” with an object by a teacher in the past year and 32.9% had experienced this from parents or step-parents. More than a quarter (27.1%) had been hit or spanked with a hand in the past year by a parent or step-parent, 19.1% by a teacher; 32.3% had been pinched, had their ears twisted or their hair pulled in the past year by a teacher, 22.9% by a parent or step-parent. About 45% of children expressed disapproval of physical punishment, emphasising its negative effects including physical pain, emotional distress and damaging consequences for child-parent relationships. ANPCCAN & Makerere University (2013), Baseline Survey on Community Child Protection Systems in Uganda, ANPCCAN & Makerere University</p><p>In a survey involving 3,200 children in eight districts in northern Uganda, corporal punishment in the home and at school was identified as one of children’s major safety concerns: 79% said they felt unsafe or scared due to beatings at school and 90% at home. When asked to draw something that made them feel unsafe at home, at school or in the community, more than half drew pictures of teachers beating children, and children in all regions drew pictures of corporal punishment in the home. WarChild UK (2012), Child Safety Report Card: 2012 Regional Report</p><p>A survey of 990 children attending 25 primary schools in Arua, Apac, Kitgum, Mukono and Rakai Districts found that 81.5% had been beaten at school: 73% of the beatings were perpetrated by teachers and 12% by parents or guardians who were called into schools to punish children. Eighty-two per cent of the children had been made to do hard work such as digging, cleaning pit latrines and collecting water, usually as a punishment. ANPPCAN Uganda (2011), Baseline Survey to Assess Violence against Children in Arua, Apac, Kitgum, Mukono and Rakai Districts: Final Report In a survey of 1,015 children at 25 public and private primary schools in Acholi, Lango, West Nile and Central regions, 81% reported having been beaten at school – 73% had been beaten by a teacher, 15% by other students, 12% by their parents or guardians. Children were also punished by being denied food for extended periods of time, locked up in rooms, assigned difficult work and forced to kneel in front of other children at school; 82% had seen their friends being caned. The study, conducted in April 2011 by ANPPCAN Uganda Chapter, also involved 52 professionals including teachers, head teachers, PTA members, police, government and non-government experts in the education and child protection fields at district and national level. Reported by Anppccan Uganda Chapter, 10 July 2011, www.anppcanug.org</p><p>A 2010 study of juvenile detention in Uganda found that despite the prohibition of corporal punishment of children in penal institutions, children were routinely caned as a punishment in both Mbale Remand Home and Kampiringisa National Rehabilitation Centre. In Kampiringisa, children were also punished by being placed in an isolation cell. In the majority of remand homes, corporal punishment was not used. The report suggested that the legality of corporal punishment in the home and school in Uganda may account for its continued use in some penal institutions. Moore, M. (2010), Juvenile Detention in Uganda: Review of Ugandan Remand Homes and the National Rehabilitation Centre, African Prisons Project</p><p>A 2010 African Child Policy Forum report on violence against children with disabilities in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia documented a very high level of violence. Nearly a thousand 18 -24 year olds took part in the study across the five countries, reporting on their experiences as children. In Uganda, 87% had experienced at least one type of physical violence during their childhood. The most commonly experienced type of physical violence was being hit, punched, kicked or beaten. Perpetrators of physical violence included stepmothers (10.8%), mothers (9.5%), fathers (8.7%) and other relatives (15.7%). Across the five countries, 23% said they had experienced physical violence which was “mostly discipline, reasonable and justified”, 27% which was “mostly discipline but not reasonable or justified”. Twenty-six per cent said they had experienced emotional violence which was “discipline, but not reasonable or justified”, 22% that was “disciplinary, reasonable and justified”. Across all five countries, more than half (54%) of those who had been physically beaten said they had suffered broken bones, teeth, bleeding or bruising; 2% had been permanently disabled; 21% required medical attention; 13% had to miss school or work; and 20% had needed rest at home. For all five countries, the majority of respondents with physical, visual and intellectual disabilities experienced physical violence more than 10 times. The report recommends prohibition of all corporal punishment, including in the home, as a way to minimise the risk of violence against children with disabilities. The African Child Policy Forum (2010), Violence Against Children With Disabilities in Africa: Field Studies from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia, Addis Ababa: The African Child Policy Forum A survey of 500 young women in Uganda aged 18-24 years concerning their childhood experiences of violence, undertaken by the Africa Child Policy Forum and published in 2006, found that 94.2% had been subjected to physical violence. Beating with an object was the most prevalent form of physical violence (85.8%). Prevalence figures for other physical violence were 55% for punching, 26.8% kicking, 47.8% hard work, 20.4% being choked/burned/stabbed, 9% having spicy/bitter food put in mouth, 18.2% being locked or tied up, and 52.8% being denied food. Girls were found to be most vulnerable to beating with an object when aged 10-13 (57.1%), and to being hit/punched when aged 14-17 (44%). Experiencing the violence more than 10 times was more likely in the case of beating than other physical violence. Most beating with an object was carried out by male teachers (48.5%), followed by fathers (43.4%) and mothers (42.9%); in 57.3% of cases medical attention was required. Most hitting/punching was carried out by fathers (22.9%), followed by mothers (17.1%) and brothers (15.6%), with medical attention required in 21.1% of cases. At school, girls were told they were beaten for being late, for misbehaving, or for being disrespectful. At home, the reasons given for beating or hitting included for breaking/losing something, for being disrespectful to their elders, or for not doing housework. Stavropoulos, J. (2006), Violence Against Girls in Africa: A Retrospective Survey in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, Addis Ababa, The African Child Policy Forum</p><p>A 2011 report by Human Rights Watch documented corporal punishment of prisoners in Uganda, including beatings with batons, canes, sticks, whips and electric cable and wire, despite the prohibition of corporal punishment in the Prisons Act 2006. Children are sometimes detained with adults in prisons, even though this is prohibited. Human Rights Watch (2011), “Even Dead Bodies Must Work”: Health, Hard Labor, and Abuse in Ugandan Prisons</p><p>From January 2012 to September 2014, the Good Schools Study was conducted in 42 primary schools in Luwero District to test the effectiveness of the Good School Toolkit – an 18-month intervention developed by the Ugandan non-profit organisation Raising Voices – in reducing physical violence from school staff to students. The study found that at baseline 54% of students reported past week physical violence from school staff; in the follow-up survey 31% of students in the intervention group reported past week physical violence from school staff, compared to 48·7% in the control group – this was found to correspond to a 42% reduction in risk of past week physical violence from school staff. These results were seen as highly encouraging because they demonstrate that it is possible to change an entrenched, normative behaviour such as the use of physical violence over the 18-month timescale of programme implementation. Devries, K. M. et al (2015), “The Good School Toolkit for reducing physical violence from school staff to primary school students: a cluster-randomised controlled trial in Uganda”, The Lancet Global Health, 3(7), 378-386</p><p>A study conducted from 2012-2014 involving 42 primary schools in Luwero District assessed whether the Good School Toolkit – a complex behavioural intervention designed by Ugandan non-profit organisation Raising Voices – could reduce physical violence from school staff to primary school children. At baseline, 54% of students reported past week physical violence from school staff. After 18 months, the study found prevalence of past week physical violence was lower in the intervention schools (31%) than in the control schools (49%). Devries, K. M., et al (2015), “The Good School Toolkit for reducing physical violence from school staff to primary school students: a cluster-randomised controlled trial in Uganda”, Lancet Global Health, 385, e378–386 UR Tanzania A study involving 409 children (average age 10.5 years) at a private school in Tanzania found that 95% had been physically punished at least once in their lifetime by a teacher. The same percentage reported experiencing physical punishment by parents or caregivers. Eighty-two per cent had been beaten with sticks, belts or other objects, 66% had been punched, slapped or pinched. Nearly a quarter had experienced punishment so severe that they were injured. The children’s experience of corporal punishment was associated with increased aggressive and hyperactive behaviour and decreased empathetic behaviour. Hecker, T. et al (2013), “Corporal punishment and children's externalizing problems: A cross-sectional study of Tanzanian primary school aged children”, Child Abuse & Neglect, available online 17 December 2013</p><p>A report carried out at the end of the Transforming Education for Girls in Nigeria and Tanzania (TEGINT) project, a 2007-2012 initiative to transform the education of girls in Northern Tanzania and Northern Nigeria, found that in Tanzania 70% of community members and 87% of girls agreed “it is not okay for teachers to whip a girl who comes late to school because she was caring for a sick relative”. The study involved surveys with 295 girls and young women aged 11-22 and 91 community members. Institute of Education & ActionAid (2013), Transforming Education for Girls in Tanzania: Endline research summary report, Das es Salaam: ActionAid Tanzania</p><p>In a study on the wellbeing and vulnerability of child domestic workers, 30% of the child domestic workers involved in Tanzania said their employers physically punished them. The study was conducted in 2009 in Peru, Costa Rica, Togo, Tanzania, India and Philippines with around 3,000 children, mostly aged 10-17, half of whom worked as paid or unpaid domestic workers. Anti-Slavery International (2013), Home Truths: Wellbeing and vulnerabilities of child domestic workers, London: Anti-Slavery International</p><p>A report by the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance based on interviews with 179 children in 65 detention centres found that children were subject to violence, including from prison officers and adult prisoners. Reported in The Citizen, 29 January 2012, www.thecitizen.co.tz</p><p>A study involving over 3,700 13-24 year olds found that 73.5% of females and 71.7% of males had been slapped, pushed, punched, kicked, beaten up or attacked or threatened with a weapon such as a gun or knife by a relative, authority figure (including teachers), or intimate partner during their childhood. Over half (51%) of 13-17 year olds had experienced this in the past year. The report is not explicit about how much of the violence was inflicted in the name of “discipline”; however, 58.4% of females and 57.2% of males experienced physical violence by relatives (the majority by fathers and mothers), and 52.6% of females and 50.8% of males experienced physical violence by teachers. Nearly eight in ten girls (78%) and nearly seven in ten boys (67%) aged 13-17 who had been punched, kicked or whipped by a teacher had experienced this more than five times, and nearly half of 13-17 year olds (46.3% girls, 45.9% boys) who had been punched, kicked or whipped by a relative had experienced this more than five times. Experiencing physical violence in childhood was associated for females with poor to fair general health, feelings of anxiety in the past 30 days, having suicidal thoughts, and having a STI diagnosis or symptoms in the past 12 months; and for males with feelings of depression in the past 30 days. UNICEF Tanzania, Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (2011), Violence against Children in Tanzania: Findings from a National Survey (2009), Dar es Salaam: United Republic of Tanzania A 2010 consultation on the Zanzibar Children’s Bill found that, of over 500 children aged 8 and over, 77% thought all school corporal punishment should be banned. Save the Children (2010), Capturing Children’s Views on the Children’s Bill 2010: The National Child Consultation Programme in Zanzibar</p><p>Research conducted in July 2013, involving interviews with 730 children and 135 adults, found almost 60% of all interviewees identified corporal punishment as a child protection issue facing children in Ruvu; 16% of children interviewed linked corporal punishment with physical harm and psychological effects. Childreach Tanzania (2015), Child Abuse in Tanzania, Arusha, Tanzania: Childreach Tanzania</p><p>Zambia A 2010 African Child Policy Forum report on violence against children with disabilities in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia documented a very high level of violence. Nearly a thousand 18 -24 year olds took part in the study across the five countries, reporting on their experiences as children. In Zambia, all the respondents had experienced at least one type of physical violence during their childhood: 100% had been denied food, over 50% hit, punched, kicked or beaten and over 25% choked, burnt or stabbed. Common perpetrators of physical violence included mothers (10.2%), stepmothers (4.9%) and adult neighbours (18.5%). Across the five countries, 23% said they had experienced physical violence which was “mostly discipline, reasonable and justified” and 27% which was “mostly discipline but not reasonable or justified”; 26% said they had experienced emotional violence which was “discipline, but not reasonable or justified”, 22% that was “disciplinary, reasonable and justified”. Across all five countries, more than half (54%) of those who had been physically beaten said they had suffered broken bones, teeth, bleeding or bruising; 2% had been permanently disabled; 21% required medical attention; 13% had to miss school or work; and 20% had needed rest at home. For all five countries, the majority of respondents with physical, visual and intellectual disabilities experienced physical violence more than 10 times. The report recommends prohibition of all corporal punishment, including in the home, as a way to minimise the risk of violence against children with disabilities. The African Child Policy Forum (2010), Violence Against Children With Disabilities in Africa: Field Studies from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia, Addis Ababa: The African Child Policy Forum</p><p>Zimbabwe In a 2009 baseline study carried out by Plan on violence in schools in preparation for the launch of the “Learn Without Fear” campaign in the country, 67% of children and 35% of teachers surveyed agreed that corporal punishment was inflicted by all teachers at one point or another, usually unrecorded and unreported. Reported in The Zimbabwean, 14 October 2009 A survey conducted in 2014 found that 63% of children age 1-14 years experienced “violent punishment” (psychological aggression and/or physical punishment) during the month preceding the survey: 53% experienced psychological aggression, 36% physical punishment and 5% severe physical punishment (hit/slapped on the face, head or ears and/or beat up, hit over and over as hard as one could). Harare had the highest percentage of severe physical punishment (8%), Matabeleland South Province the lowest (2%). Children aged 3-9 years were more likely to be subjected to violent discipline than any other age group and children in urban areas (68%) were subjected to some form of violent discipline more than their counterparts in rural areas (61%). On average, 38% of respondents believed that physical punishment is needed to bring up, raise, or educate a child properly. In contrast, 24% of children experienced only non-violent discipline. (Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) (2015), Zimbabwe Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2014: Final Report, Harare, Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT))</p><p>Prepared by the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children www.endcorporalpunishment.org; [email protected] 18/03/2016</p>